Parents demand answers after Phoenix teacher arrested for child sex crimes

Fox - 10 Phoenix
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1 Video View·Oct 15, 2026
After a valley teacher is accused of child sex crimes,
Gabriel Chacon in federal custody tonight facing charges
of distribution of child sexual material.
This was shocking news to parents at Encanto Elementary School in West
Phoenix, but some were also upset that they didn't know more sooner.
Fox 10's Brian Webb is live with the latest
and reactions from some parents.
Well, here's the timeline to all this.
The teacher was arrested on October 7th,
But the parents I spoke with today say they didn't find out
about it until we broke the story last night, a full week later.
And they want answers.
I feel heartbroken, sad, disgusted.
I feel confused.
Frances Garcia has five children who go to Encanto Elementary School.
And one of them was in Mr. Chacon's third grade class.
My child is here Monday through Friday all day while I'm at work.
Now I had a very hard time dropping my child off today,
not knowing if she was going to be safe.
32-year-old Gabriel Chacon was arrested October 7th,
first identified by an undercover officer in Australia.
He's accused of being
in an encrypted chat group sharing child pornography.
But the parents say all they were told
was that Mr. Chacon was on administrative leave.
I feel like they let us down like so much, you know.
It's just heartbreaking to see it.
Josh Rodriguez has two children at Encanto Elementary,
not in Mr. Chacon's class, but one who was in the same building.
And it's like my kid goes to school there, like there could have
been pictures taken of her and pictures of other kids.
And it's like that's what's concerning me a lot, too.
One of Chacon's alleged messages using
the handle Indeed Dom includes bragging about access to children
and having images of them hypothetically.
Authorities say he admitted to being in the chat,
but said the rest was all a fantasy.
I want an explanation from the school.
I mean, they left us with just a mystery, you know,
and they left us with just a punch to the chest.
Both parents believe their children are unharmed,
but they're still left with two problems.
A teacher at their school accused of unthinkable crimes
and a school district they accuse of keeping secrets.
I don't know how to feel it anymore with the district,
with the Encanto Elementary.
So it's like, I don't even know if I want
my child to attend here anymore.
Some of the parents tell me they've been invited
to speak with administrators tonight at the school.
The district did release a statement.
It reads in part that the district was notified about
the arrest by the FBI on October 7th,
but the district was also assured that no students
from Osborne Elementary are connected in any way.
To read the full statement, head to fox10phoenix.com.
Live in Phoenix, I'm Brian Webb, Fox 10 News.
