Arizona corrections employee arrested for sex with minor

PHOENIX — An Arizona Department of Corrections employee was arrested Thursday on suspicion of having sexual contact with a 15-year-old girl, police said.

Phoenix Police Sgt. Trent Crump said his agency was contacted April 21 by witnesses who were concerned Jose Macias-Maria, 23, and the victim were in some sort of relationship.

“Witnesses found some text messages on the victim’s phone that the believed were sexually explicit,” he said. “They felt that she was in a relationship.”

Crump said the girl opened up to police while being questioned.

“The victim did disclose incidents of sexual conduct, sexual abuse and ultimately sexual exploitation of a child as well,” he said.

Macias-Maria was charged with five counts of sexual conduct with a minor, one count of sexual abuse of a minor, one count of sexual exploitation of a minor and one count of luring a minor for sexual exploitation.