PHOENIX — A Maricopa County jury has convicted a former Phoenix teacher of sexually abusing seven girls.
Manuel Gavina, 53, was found guilty this week in Superior Court of harming several girls under the age of 15 when he was a math teacher at Capitol Elementary School, according to the Maricopa County Attorney's Office.
VERSIÓN EN ESPAÑOL: Exmaestro de primaria del valle encontrado culpable de abusar de 7 niñas
Phoenix police began investigating reports made about Gavina in 2019 after a 12-year-old told police that the teacher had touched her multiple times while teaching in the classroom.
At the time of his arrest, Gavina was asked how many times he may have inappropriately touched students and the teacher allegedly said "hundreds of times."
“This man is the definition of a sexual predator,” County Attorney Rachel Mitchell said in a statement. “Teachers are trusted adults in our community. Any child in any classroom in this county should feel safe at school, yet this man violated that childhood peace."
Gavina faces a prison sentence ranging between 17 and 70 years when he is sentenced by a judge on Nov. 30.
*Editor's Note: The county attorney's office initially provided the incorrect number of victims involved in this case. The story has since been corrected.*
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