A former Buckeye teacher is in custody following an investigation into online chats between him and a student. Buckeye police, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service, arrested 36-year-old Brendan Barnett yesterday on charges of luring and kidnapping.
Buckeye police were contacted on April 12, 2024, when school district officials reported possible inappropriate chats between Barnett, who was a Verrado Middle School teacher at the time, and a 12-year-old female student. The chats occurred within the school’s online communications portal.
During the investigation, detectives learned Barnett lied to the victim’s parents when inviting her to his central Phoenix home for sleepovers. Barnett claimed he was the parent of a Verrado Middle School student who would be attending the sleepovers. The suspect does not have a daughter at Verrado Middle School and was alone with the victim at his home on at least three occasions.
Evidence was presented to a Maricopa County Grand Jury which indicted Barnett on one count of luring a minor for sex and three counts of kidnapping. Buckeye police with the U.S. Marshals Service located and arrested Barnett on July 10, 2024, at a Phoenix library near 15th Ave and Montebello.
