Overview
- Abel Kai Gblah, 25, is accused of entering Orangewood Elementary through an unsecured door by posing as a doctor and sexually assaulting a 10-year-old, according to police.
- He was arrested the same day and booked on charges including sexual assault, sexual conduct with a minor, kidnapping and probation violations, with a cash-only bond near $500,000 and a judge finding him not releasable.
- ICE has lodged a detainer seeking to assume custody; officials say Gblah is a Liberian national and lawful permanent resident who became a removal priority after prior child sex convictions.
- Court records show he previously received lifetime probation in a 2021 plea deal and accumulated numerous probation violations, with a brief jail stint ending Nov. 15, days before the alleged school assault.
- Maricopa County Adult Probation says it will conduct a thorough review, the school district is reassessing security with at least one employee on leave, and lawmakers and advocates are pressing for tougher supervision and mandatory responses to violations.