Sentenced
Former YC teacher sent to prison in luring case
The former teacher and coach at Yuma Catholic High School who police said used social media to send messages to a female student in an attempt to have sex with her has been sentenced to 2-1/2 years in prison.
In handing down the sentence on Tuesday, Superior Court Judge Brandon Kinsey also gave 59-yearold Craig Gillespie credit for 120 days he has already served in the Yuma County jail.
Gillespie, who was represented by attorney Richard Parks of the Yuma County Public Defender’s Office, pleaded guilty to a charge of attempted luring of a minor for sexual exploitation in a plea agreement with prosecutors last month.
Judge Kinsey also sentenced Gillespie to seven years of intensive probation for aggravated luring of a minor for sexual exploitation in a second plea agreement.
The probation will begin immediately upon his release from prison.
Back in March 2019, detectives from the Yuma Police Department’s Child, Family, and Sex Crimes Unit began an investigation into Gillespie after the administration at Yuma Catholic High School became aware of a teacher having inappropriate communications with a female student and immediately reported the matter.
During the course of the investigation into the allegations detectives were able to confirm that Gillespie had allegedly solicited a female student to engage in sex.
Gillespie, who was immediately terminated, taught English and was in his first season as the coach of the girls soccer team. He had been a teacher at the school for the past three years.