Buckeye man arrested after sexual contact with students at high school

BUCKEYE, AZ — A 26-year-old Buckeye man was arrested Thursday after a series of incidents involving sexual contact with high school students.

Buckeye police say 26-year-old Michael Armijo was taken into custody and booked into jail on multiple charges, including child sex trafficking, luring a minor, and sexual conduct with a minor. 

Police first became aware of who they are calling a “sexual predator” when two students at Canyon View High School reported an unknown man acting inappropriately in a car parked next to them on campus on May 15. 

Officials say a 15-year-old student also reported that the man approached her on May 9 when she was leaving school and offered her a ride home. The student said he took her to a back campus parking lot and had sexual contact with her before taking her home. Court paperwork shows that the defendant gave the victim money for the sexual act.

A school resource officer saw the suspect vehicle exiting one of the parking lots on May 22. Upon stopping the vehicle, the driver told the officer he was dropping off a student and denied involvement in the indecent exposure incident. The officer reportedly cited the driver for a suspended license and issued a trespass notice banning him from campus.

Armijo was later taken into custody during a traffic stop near his Buckeye home.

Investigators learned the suspect has no connection to the school. They also found he was linked to an indecent exposure incident at a grocery store near Jackrabbit Trail and Indian School Road. 

No further details were immediately available. The investigation is ongoing.