GLENDALE, Ariz. — A 14-year-old was walking home from school when she was approached by a 37-year-old man, according to police. It's what she did during that conversation that has the Glendale Police Department applauding.
"She did the right thing," Jose Santiago said. "She had the whereabouts to go ahead and get her parents involved in the situation. She didn't engage more than she needed to do with this man."
Glendale Police say on Wednesday, Oct. 16, 37-year-old Isaiah Navarro reportedly stopped a 14-year-old who was walking home from school. They say he asked her where the closest McDonalds was then things escalated and he asked for her number.
"When she grabs his phone from him she puts her mom's phone number in his phone," Santiago said.
Navarro reportedly began texting the mom's phone thinking he was talking with the girl. Police were called and the officers then posed as the teenager to see where the conversation would go.
"Our detectives then tell the suspect in all of this to go ahead and contact me on this secure app because it's better than my parents finding out about this," Santiago said. "He still thinks he's having a conversation with a 14-year-old. It becomes very graphic very quickly. He starts describing sexual acts that he says he'd like to do with this 14-year-old."
A police report also states Navarro sent a selfie and demanded pictures from the girl. He reportedly said he wanted to give the girl a massage and called her about 30 times during the exchange. Eventually, a meeting between the two parties was set. However, when Navarro arrived he found detectives instead of the 14-year-old.
The police report claims when he arrived at the gym parking lot he was taken into custody. An officer called the number he had been texting and Navarro's phone rang. He also reportedly claimed to use his own phone number during the exchange with police.
"We have no records of him having any prior arrests, we have no contact of him being in jail at any other time as of yet," Santiago said. "But this is someone who was pretty brazen. The fact that he was capable and willing to do this with a 14-year-old, who knows what else he would've been capable of doing."
Navarro is currently being held on a secure $250,000 secure bond. He also faces charges of luring a minor for sexual exploitation. Detectives now worry there may be other victims.
"Unfortunately, we don't know if there are other victims out there," Santiago said. "If he's done this before. We want people to see his face and perhaps maybe someone else came into contact with him."
And as the investigation continues, Glendale police commend the teen's actions. They say they're hopeful it'll inspire others to reach out so Navarro can possibly be prosecuted further.
"What we have here is a young lady who really had her wits together and did the right thing," Santiago said.
Police encourage parents to talk to their child(ren) about what to do if they find themselves in a similar situation. They say a child should try and do what they can to get away as quickly as possible. They say making a lot of noise and screaming is beneficial and to of course dial 911 as soon as possible.
If you have information about Navarro, you can call Glendale Police detectives at (623) 930-3000.
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