PHOENIX — A man was arrested after gaining access to a school and allegedly sexually assaulting a minor at Orangewood Elementary School in Phoenix on Wednesday.
According to records, 25-year-old Abel Gblah encountered a 10-year-old girl who was going to the nurse's office. He told the girl he was a doctor and then proceeded to sexually assault her in an empty classroom.
Police reports state that Glbah then left the school and was later located at his home, where he was taken into custody. The report states that Glbah denied being at the school or knowing the victim.
Evidence was found at his home, including a shirt that he was seen wearing in school surveillance video.
In a statement, Washington Elementary School District officials said they called 911 when staff learned of an unauthorized man on campus, located near 19th and Glendale avenues, on Wednesday afternoon.
The school was put on lockdown from 12:20 to 1:45 p.m.
District officials first said the individual followed a student in, who was buzzed in through the main entrance, but later clarified their statement.
They now say the suspect entered through the interior lobby door, which was unlocked, and walked in with a student who was tardy. An employee has been placed on administrative leave pending an investigation.
Gblah was reportedly on campus for about 10 minutes and made “inappropriate contact with a student” while at the school.
District officials also confirm that Glbah is a former student of Orangewood and attended from 2012 to 2015.
Read the full statement from Washington Elementary School District:
I want to provide an update regarding the advisory I sent yesterday. As shared, we were made aware of an unauthorized male on campus. We immediately called 911 and placed the school on lockdown from 12:20 to 1:45 p.m. Upon investigation, it was determined that the individual gained access behind a student who was buzzed in through the main entrance. He was on campus for approximately 10 minutes and during that time, he made inappropriate contact with a student. We have been working closely with the Phoenix Police throughout the investigation and last night they informed us that an arrest has been made. The Phoenix Police can provide additional information about the matter.
We understand how concerning situations like this can be. Please know that I am working closely with our staff and District Security to review our safety procedures and ensure we are doing everything possible to keep Orangewood a safe place for students and staff. Additionally, District Security will be on campus for the remainder of the week.
I want to extend my sincere appreciation to the Phoenix Police Department for their quick response to the matter. We are beyond grateful for their help and support and we are thankful they were able to apprehend this individual so quickly. Please know that we are working closely with the child and the child’s family to provide any and all resources and support that they might need. Thank you for your continued support and trust.
PREVIOUS CONVICTIONS
According to an initial appearance in court on Thursday, which Gblah did not attend in person, Gblah has two prior convictions in 2021 for sexual conduct with a minor. He was accused of raping a 16-year-old girl with autism and cerebral palsy.
Records show the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office offered him a plea deal. He was sentenced to lifetime probation and ordered to register as a sex offender. Records show the victim and guardian objected to the plea agreement and asked for the maximum term in prison.
He did not register as a sex offender and failed to follow probation court orders nearly two dozen times, records show.
He was arrested as recently as September for probation violations and was recently serving jail time related to that offense.
On Thursday, MCSO told ABC15 that Gblah was released from the Lower Buckeye Jail on November 15, just days before he was arrested for the Orangewood incident.
Glbah is being held on a $500,000 cash-only bond for the new allegations. However, due to his probation violations, a judge ruled that he is not releasable or bondable.
CALL FOR ACTION
State Senator Janae Shamp is calling for change and the termination of the probation officers who oversaw Gblah's case. On Monday, the senator was joined by advocates and the chairwoman of the new Sex Offender Management Board to call for action.
Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell said she has been made aware of the arrest.
Days after the arrest, Mitchell provided the following statement:
Since the arrest of Abel Gblah for his actions at Orangewood Elementary School last week, I have been looking into his 2021 case. I have concerns about how the case was handled based on my own philosophy. Well before last week, when I took office in 2022, I realized that MCAO had strayed from my philosophy on prosecuting sex crimes. I took immediate action at that time including changing leadership in sex crimes to more closely align with my expectations for how we should prosecute these types of cases.
But the work is ongoing. For years, I have been raising concerns that probation was not adequately monitoring offenders and putting our community at risk. I am looking forward to working with the state legislature to find solutions to better protect our children and communities from sex offenders.
According to the Department of Homeland Security, Gblah is a citizen of Liberia.
"ICE records indicate that this subject is legally residing in the US as a permanent resident and may live and work in the US," said court records.
Read the full statement from the Department of Homeland Security:
The person in question is a native and citizen of Liberia. Local law enforcement arrested him on state charges related to sexually assaulting a 10-year-old girl. At this time, ICE is unable to take any action until his criminal case is adjudicated. Under the leadership of President Trump and Secretary Noem, DHS is restoring accountability to our immigration system. ICE will not stand idle and allow sexual predators to roam free in our communities.
