Prosecutors won’t pursue charges against Buckeye principal accused of luring minor

PHOENIX – Prosecutors said Monday they won’t pursue charges against a former Buckeye principal who was arrested last week for allegedly luring a minor.

The case was turned down because there was no reasonable likelihood of conviction, the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office (MCAO) said in a statement.

Joe Kinney, 42, was the principal at Buckeye Union High School when he was booked into jail on one count of luring a minor for sexual exploitation.

“The crime of luring requires proof that the suspect knew or should have known that the person he was communicating with was a minor (under 18). In this case, there was no actual minor; the communication was with an undercover officer,” MCAO said.

MCAO said luring can be committed if the “victim” is an undercover agent, but there must be proof that the suspect believed he or she was communicating with a minor.

“Based on the available evidence in this case, the state is unable to prove the suspect was intending to lure a minor for sexual exploitation,” the agency said.

Buckeye principal loses job after arrest

The Buckeye Union High School District put Kinney on administrative leave after the arrest. The district’s governing board approved his termination during its meeting Monday night, according to ABC15.

The case originated with the FBI and was transferred to the Phoenix Police Department.

The arrest report details how the Buckeye principal engaged in sexually explicit communications with an undercover agent who was posing as a 12-year-old girl on Whisper, a social media app, on July 22.

Investigators issued subpoenas to Whisper, Cox Communications and Verizon Wireless to identify Kinney as the person who exchanged messages with the undercover agent.

What did Buckeye principal tell police?

Police took Kinney into custody during a traffic stop on Sept. 3 and transported him to his Goodyear home. He was then interviewed in a Phoenix Police Department mobile command vehicle before getting booked into jail.

“Joseph admitted that he talked to multiple females on Whisper that claimed to be underage. Joseph said he never actually believed they were underage and assumed they were all adults and just engaged in fantasy chat and role playing,” the arrest report says.

During the interview, Kinney denied being sexually attracted to children.

“Joseph said he feels stupid and embarrassed for his decisions,” the arrest report says.

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