GLENDALE, Ariz. — A religious school teacher in Glendale has been arrested and is facing charges of sexual abuse of a child, Glendale Police Department officials confirmed.
Nathaniel Pineda, a teacher at Dream City Christian School, is facing charges of sexual abuse, sexual conduct with a minor, and luring a minor by offering or soliciting sexual conduct, department officials said.
Court records show police opened an investigation into Pineda after the parents of a 15-year-old student found disturbing messages on their child's cell phone.
The texts had allegedly been exchanged between the 35-year-old suspect and his teenage student, which involved discussions about sex.
The minor told police the interactions escalated to the teacher sneaking the teenager into his home and sexually abusing them multiple times, court records show.
During a one-party consent call with Pineda, the teacher allegedly told the student to make sure they "deleted everything" or else he could be put in jail.
Dream City Christian School has released the following statement about Pineda's arrest:
Yesterday, a former employee of Dream City Christian School (DCCS), Nathaniel Pineda, was arrested by the Glendale Police Department for serious felony offenses involving misconduct with a minor.
DCCS first became aware of allegations concerning Mr. Pineda two weeks ago and immediately reported the information to law enforcement and removed Mr. Pineda from the school campus. Since that time, DCCS has been fully cooperating with the Glendale Police Department and honoring any requests the Department has made concerning its investigation.
DCCS would like to express its gratitude and appreciation for the diligence and professionalism displayed by the detectives at the Glendale Police Department during the course of its investigation.
The wellbeing of students is a top DCCS priority. Therefore, DCCS would request that the privacy of its students and families be respected, especially those who have been most affected by these events.
Watch 12News+ for free
You can now watch 12News content anytime, anywhere thanks to the 12News+ app!
The free 12News+ app from 12News lets users stream live events — including daily newscasts like "Today in AZ" and "12 News" and our daily lifestyle program, "Arizona Midday"—on Roku and Amazon Fire TV.
12News+ showcases live video throughout the day for breaking news, local news, weather and even an occasional moment of Zen showcasing breathtaking sights from across Arizona.
Users can also watch on-demand videos of top stories, local politics, I-Team investigations, Arizona-specific features and vintage videos from the 12News archives.
Roku: Add the channel from the Roku store or by searching for "12 News KPNX."
Amazon Fire TV: Search for "12 News KPNX" to find the free 12News+ app to add to your account, or have the 12News+ app delivered directly to your Amazon Fire TV through Amazon.com or the Amazon app.
Up to Speed
Catch up on the latest news and stories on the 12News YouTube channel. Subscribe today.
What is the Valley?
“The Valley” is what locals call the Phoenix Metropolitan Area. It is considered the largest metropolitan area in the Southwest.
The Valley is made up of various major cities other than Phoenix, including:
Mesa
Chandler
Scottsdale
Tempe
Glendale
Surprise
Peoria
Gilbert
El Mirage
Avondale
Litchfield Park
Goodyear
Buckeye
Whether a city is in the “East Valley” or “West Valley” depends on where it is in relation to Phoenix.
The cities of the Valley have a combined population of 4,845,832 people, according to the 2020 United States Census. This makes it the 11th largest metropolitan area in the country right behind the Boston and Atlanta areas.