Gilbert man sentenced to 21 years in prison for molesting tribal students

PHOENIX — A Gilbert man who used to work as a teacher in the Gila River Indian Community was sentenced to more than two decades in prison for molesting several of his students.

Tadashi Mitchell Harvey, 30, was sentenced on Tuesday to 21 years in prison and lifetime supervised release for molesting two 6-year-old students.

According to court documents, Harvey was arrested in April after a student at Blackwater Community School told authorities that her teacher had tickled and touched her genitals over her clothing. The victim’s mother later told police that the girl said Harvey had touched her genitals under her clothing.

Harvey first said he tickled the victim without touching her inappropriately, but the next day, he told authorities that he had touched the victim’s genitals once or twice over the month prior.

A grand jury indicted Harvey on nine counts of sexual abuse and sexual contact against a minor in May.

According to court documents, Harvey had molested at least six children under the age of 12 between July 1, 2016, and April 24, 2018, in the Gila River Indian Community. They were all current or former students of his at the time of his crimes.

“Our society places immense trust in teachers, and yesterday’s 21-year sentence appropriately punishes Harvey’s breach of that trust,” First Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth A. Strange said in a statement.

“Protecting school children from predators is one of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s most important responsibilities, and we will continue to prosecute such crimes to the fullest extent of the law.”

Harvey previously pleaded guilty to two counts of abusive sexual contact of a minor. Once he is released from prison, he will also be required to register as a sex offender.

At the time of his crimes, Harvey was an enrolled member of the White Mountain Apache Tribe.

Blackwater Community School has not responded to a request for comment.

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