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Scottsdale teacher rejects deal in sex case
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Former Saguaro High School assistant football coach Tom Porras makes an appearance at the Maricopa County Superior Court\'s Southeast Facility in Mesa with his attorney Amy Nguyen, last month.
Tim Hacker, Tribune
A former Scottsdale Saguaro High School substitute teacher and assistant football coach accused of sexually touching a 17-year-old girl while giving her what he told police was an “athletic massage” at his house rejected a plea offer Tuesday from the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office to spend 30 days in jail and register as a sex offender.
Tom Porras, 49, of Scottsdale was arrested on April 26 and has been charged with a felony count of sexual abuse and misdemeanor counts of public sexual indecency and assault. Porras faces a possible prison sentence of up to two years and an undetermined amount of probation if convicted, according to his attorney, Amy Nguyen.
Nguyen, who appeared in Maricopa County Superior Court with Porras, informed Judge Helene Abrams that Porras would not be accepting the plea offer, and they have filed a motion to eliminate evidence that includes a confession. Porras was indicted by a Maricopa County grand jury and pleaded innocent to the charges in May.
“We were not in agreement with the plea offer,” Nguyen said. “He is not pleading guilty, and the plea offer is unreasonable. We believe evidence was illegally obtained, and our position is his constitutional rights were not adhered to when he was arrested.”
A hearing will be held in the county court on Nov. 15, when the judge will decide whether the evidence is inadmissible in court. Nguyen said it would give them more time to gather a list of witnesses to testify at a future hearing.
The girl’s mother, who was present in the courtroom Tuesday, threw court documents on the floor before she walked outside of the courtroom, and broke down and cried.
“What the hell?” the woman said. “He violated my daughter, and he’s walking around living in the lap of luxury. He got her to come to him because he was a coach and teacher.”
Porras, also an assistant track and field coach at Saguaro, twice admitted to police that he inappropriately touched the girl, a senior, as she rested on an exercise ball wearing a bikini before she left his house, according to a county court document.
However, Nguyen said she believes Porras’ constitutional rights were violated when police arrested him and collected evidence at his house. Officers did not inform him that he had a right to an attorney and the right to remain silent, she said.
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