Arizona man sentenced to more than 6 years in prison for child exploitation

PHOENIX — An Arizona man was sentenced to more than six years in prison in a child exploitation case, officials announced Wednesday.

According to the Arizona Attorney General’s Office, Gehrig Duarte’s time in prison will be followed by a lifetime supervised probation and requirement to register as a sex offender.

Duarte was previously indicted in December 2024 on 10 counts of sexual exploitation. However, he pleaded guilty on Dec. 3, 2025, to three counts of attempt to commit sexual exploitation of a minor.

“My office will continue to aggressively prosecute those who prey on minors and work to ensure they are held fully accountable under the law,” Attorney General Kris Mayes said in an announcement. “Arizona has zero tolerance for the sexual exploitation of children.”

Details on what led to Duarte’s sentencing in the child exploitation case

When he was indicted, prosecutors said that Duarte’s charges stemmed from multiple tips from electronic service providers regarding child sexual abuse material.

According to the indictment, Duarte on July 1, 2024, knowingly purchased, distributed or engaged in other means with images of minors under the age of 15.

Homeland Security Investigations handled the investigation.

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