PHOENIX — A man was sentenced to 43.5 years in prison for sexual misconduct with a 14-year-old missing girl from Kansas, according to the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office.
Authorities say that in July 2025, Chandler Police found the missing girl at a hotel near Cooper Road and the Loop 202 San Tan after the victim's cellphone pinged in Chandler.
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Police confirmed with hotel staff that Cristian Caal-Mucu had booked the room where the girl was found.
Police say the victim met the defendant through his sister, who she babysat and had begun dating the defendant when she was 13 years old. According to police, the victim said she asked the defendant to help her run away from home.
The defendant took the victim to Arizona and had engaged in sexual conduct with her at the hotel, according to authorities.
A jury convicted him on two counts of sexual misconduct with a minor, dangerous crime against children and custodial interference.
“There is no excuse for an adult to date a middle schooler. Regardless of whether the girl wanted to leave her home, this defendant took advantage of her vulnerability and had no right to take her from her parents, bring her across state lines, and have sex with her,” said Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell.
