PHOENIX, Ariz. – Phoenix FBI Special Agent in Charge John E. Lewis, and Maricopa County District Attorney Andrew Thomas announced today, April 19, 2007, the arrest of Jeffery R. Yazwa, age 35, on 12 counts of Sexual Exploitation of a Minor and Dangerous Crimes against Children after being indicted by a Maricopa County Grand Jury.

Yazwa, Principal of Walker –Butte Elementary School in Queen Creek, Arizona, who was on administrative leave, per his own request, was arrested by FBI agents at his residence earlier today. The arrest was subsequent to an investigation initiated when a civilian provided the FBI with an abandoned desktop computer found to contain sexually explicit images of children. This Investigation revealed that the computer had been abandoned by Yazwa at one of his previous residences.

Before becoming a principal at Walker-Butte Elementary School, Yazwa was employed as the Assistant Principal at Florence High school. Earlier, from July 1995 through August 1999, Yazwa was employed as a 3 rd grade teacher at Shumway Elementary School. Yazwa was also employed as a 4th grade teacher from August 1999 through June 2000 and as a 6th grade teacher from August 2000 through July 2002 at Conley Elementary School.

This investigation has not uncovered any incidents of sexual conduct with minors. Furthermore, there were no reported incidents of inappropriate conduct with students in either school district. The FBI encourages anyone with information related to this on-going investigation to contact the FBI, Phoenix Division, 602-294-4228.