PHOENIX (AZFamily) — A registered sex offender accused of sneaking into a Phoenix school and assaulting a child was scheduled to appear in court Monday morning, but he never walked into the courtroom.
Instead, Abel Gblah formally waived his appearance, a routine legal option that does not require a defendant to be physically present. His absence comes as mounting questions resurface about a prior plea deal that dismissed several serious charges he once faced.
According to court records, Gblah had previously faced multiple charges, including four counts of sexual conduct with a minor, child sex trafficking, and luring a minor. Under a plea agreement reached years ago, two of those charges were dismissed, and he received lifetime probation rather than prison time.
“This seems to be a very common trend in Maricopa County,” said Kayleigh Kozak, a child-safety advocate and survivor of sexual abuse.
Kozak argues that plea deals — while intended to streamline cases — can leave dangerous offenders with lighter sentences and victims without closure.
“It’s a very small percentage of these cases that even go to trial anymore,” Kozak said. “Victims are paying the price because prosecutors are being lazy and not doing their jobs.”
Child abuse prevention advocate Jessica Nicely says she wishes plea deals were not offered to sexual offenders at all. Still, she acknowledges that prosecutors often pursue them to spare victims from the trauma of repeatedly testifying in court.
“If they offer a plea, then the victim doesn’t have to be publicly a part of the process,” Nicely said.
She questions whether those considerations outweigh the risks posed by offenders who she believes may re-offend.
“Our child victims want justice and want to see their offenders held accountable,” Nicely said. “I wish we trusted them more. They are stronger than we think they are.”
She adds that the public often underestimates how calculated predators can be. In the current case, police say Gblah introduced himself to the child as a doctor.
“They give themselves a label — doctor, youth pastor, coach, teacher,” Nicely said. “If they have this label of trust, they know more doors will be opened for them.”
Nicely argues that repeated leniency allows preventable tragedies to occur.
“We’re always giving grace and the benefit of the doubt to the bad guys,” she said. “We need to stop.”
Advocates say preventing future victims requires consistent accountability both in courts and within communities.
“We have to start putting the blame where it belongs — on child sexual offenders who will not stop until we make sure they are behind bars,” Nicely said.
Gblah is expected back in court next week. Advocates hope the renewed public attention will prompt wider changes in how plea deals are handled in sexual-abuse cases.
Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell, who was not in office during Gblah’s earlier prosecution, has said she is reviewing how cases of this nature have been handled in the past.
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