A former dental assistant was sentenced to 40 years in prison followed by lifetime supervised probation for sexually abusing multiple children under his care at a Chandler pediatric dental office.
Deion Garcia received the sentence after pleading guilty to four felony charges: one count of attempted molestation of a child, one count of sexual conduct with a minor, and two counts of attempted sexual exploitation of a minor. All four counts are designated as dangerous crimes against children under Arizona law.
The investigation began in May 2024 when Chandler Police received a report regarding an incident at a children’s dental office located near Arizona Avenue and Chandler Heights Road.
The parents of a 6-year-old girl reported that Garcia touched the child inappropriately and took inappropriate photographs of her during an X-ray examination.
Detectives linked the initial report to a previous incident from September 2022 involving a second 6-year-old child who was sexually abused during an X-ray exam. A subsequent forensic search of Garcia’s phone revealed additional inappropriate images of a 3rd victim, a 4-year-old child who was under anesthesia when the abuse took place.
Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell addressed the outcome following the sentencing.
“This defendant was trusted with the care of vulnerable children during routine dental procedures, and he exploited that trust for his own sexual gratification,” Mitchell said. “I commend the work of the Chandler Police Department and sex crimes prosecutor Anshika Mehrotra in securing justice for these victims. This 40-year sentence reflects the seriousness of his crimes.”
Garcia will begin serving his 40-year prison sentence before transitioning to lifetime supervised probation upon release.
READ: Feds Shut Down Over 1,000 Websites Illegally Streaming 2026 World Cup Matches
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox.
