April 7, 2008 - Ronald Cates 41, a teacher at Chandler Middle School Kyrene del Pueblo Middle School , was arrested on allegations of sexual conduct with a minor and molestation of a child.
A former student and athlete of Cates’ alleged that Ronald Cates molested him over a period of five years, between 1999 and 2003. Cates was employed as a teacher at the school for sixteen years beforeFull Name: Ronald Martin Catesretiringresigning on February 29, 2008.
Detectives interviewed Ronald Cates and he was subsequently released from police custody. A search warrant was served on his residence in Tempe on February 27, 2008, and numerous items were seized. Charges are pending further investigation.
Anyone with information relevant to this investigation should contact Detective Brendan Busse of the Chandler Police Department at 480-782-4410, or 480-782-4130.
Source: Media News release from the Chandler Police Department.
No online press release at this time. Chandler Police Department.
RESIGNATION IN FEBRUARY April 7 - Cates was a an eighth-grade Language Arts instructor. Cates requested to be released from his contract at the school in order to pursue another job on Feb. 15, before the abuse allegations surfaced, Alexander said. The board approved his request on Feb. 26, and police called the next day to tell the district that Cates was in custody.
Cates resigned after 16 years at the school and he is no longer employed by the district.
NO CHARGES YET - April 7 - No charges have been filed and the case has not been submitted to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office for prosecution. Police made the investigation public in an effort to find other possible victims.
According to court documents, former student, now 22, met Cates when he was in the sixth grade. Cates spent time outside of school with the boy, who was the child of a single mother, tutoring and helping him with his school assignments, documents state.
The former student told investigators he first had sex with Cates when he was 14 in 1999 and it continued throughout his high school years. He said Cates bought him booze, prescription drugs and steroids, and got him to sell them to fellow school friends to supplement Cates’ finances.
Other allegations are even more lurid.
