Queen Creek group home employee accused of having sex with teen resident

PHOENIX – A Queen Creek group home employee stands accused of having sex with a 17-year-old girl who was living at the facility, authorities said.

A Maricopa County jury indicted 48-year-old Christopher Allen last week on two counts of sexual conduct with a minor, a class 2 felony.

Allen was working as a “coach counselor” at Desert Lily Academy — a group home for young female abuse victims — at the time of the alleged crimes, according to the Queen Creek Police Department.

Earlier this month, the teenage victim told another employee at the Queen Creek group home that Allen had sex with her twice in July, according to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office.

The staff member reported the allegations to police on Sept. 2, and Allen was arrested two days later. His bond was set at $150,000.

Police called to Queen Creek group homes often

Desert Lily Academy is one of several Arizona group homes operated by Nevada-based Rites of Passage.

Queen Creek PD said it has responded to over 2,000 calls at Desert Lily Academy and Canyon State Academy — a Rites of Passage group home for at-risk young males — over the last three years.

The calls ranged from proactive patrols and engagement to reports of runaways, assaults, mental health crises and sex crimes.

Queen Creek Police Chief Randy Brice said Allen’s case is “deeply concerning” because it involves an adult employee and a vulnerable minor.

“Any time allegations of criminal conduct involve children, we take immediate action to investigate, ensure accountability and protect the safety of youth in our community,” Brice said in a press release.

The investigation into the incident, including a review of the facility’s hiring process, is ongoing, police said.

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