A 36-year-old Maricopa man was arrested this week on suspicion of sexual conduct with a minor and sexual abuse, according to court records released today.

Manuel J. Barrera, 36, was arrested outside the Maricopa Police Department on Wednesday, according to the records.

The Arizona Department of Child Safety first reported the allegations to police on May 23, after a minor disclosed a sexual relationship involving an adult known to the family, according to the probable cause statement. The alleged conduct occurred between about November 2024 and January 2025 at a home in Maricopa.

Barrera was described in the court filing as a longtime acquaintance of the minor’s family who had been living in the same home during the period when the alleged offenses took place.

During an interview with

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