A Tucson woman has been sentenced to 25 years of probation after pleading guilty to two counts of child abuse with sexual motivation while she worked as a youth leader at a local church.
Ariana Rounds, 25, was working as a youth leader at The River, near North Flowing Wells Road and West Miracle Mile,Β from 2021-2023 when when she was accused of having inappropriate sexual contact with two minors, court records say.
There were at least five alleged sex acts between Rounds and the teens, according to an interim complaint. The incidents occurred in various places, like the parking lot of restaurant, a church office and near a gas station parking lot.
Rounds initially faced one count of sexual abuse and four counts of sexual conduct with a minor at least 15 years old.
But last month she accepted a plea agreement to two counts of child abuse after the victims and their families would not participate in a trial to avoid re-traumatizing the victims, according the the Pima County Attorney's Office.
Rounds will be required to participate in counseling and treatment, She also must notify any organization that sponsors activities in which adults supervise children of her conviction when volunteering or applying for a job, prosecutors say.
Rounds can seek to reduce her probation after 10 years. A violation of probation could result in a prison term and a requirement to register as a sex offender, prosecutors say.
