Cottonwood Man Found Guilty of Multiple Counts of Sexual Exploitation of a Minor

Randy Scott Young, 44, of Cottonwood, was sentenced to 50 years in prison by Yavapai County Superior Court Judge Krista M. Carman after Mr. Young was found guilty of six counts of Sexual Exploitation of a Minor.

Young was a teacher and coached girls sports at a school in Cottonwood, Arizona. In late January 2012, Young was found with a young female student at night in a remote location. He was terminated from his employment. School staff found Young’s laptop in his classroom and searched it for lesson plans. During the search, numerous photographs of child pornography were discovered. The school turned the laptop over to the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office, which conducted an investigation. A jury trial was scheduled but Young failed to appear at the trial and fled to Ireland.

Soon after Young fled the country, a local bicycle shop discovered Young had embezzled more than $20,000 from the business and stole two bicycles valued at over $20,000. Young was ultimately apprehended and brought back to Yavapai County where he was tried in June of this year and convicted of all counts in the Sexual Exploitation of a Minor case. Young ultimately pled guilty on August 28, 2023 to Fraudulent Schemes and Artifices and Theft charges arising from the crimes he committed against the bicycle shop, and Failure to Appear in the First Degree for failing to appear at his first jury trial. Young was sentenced to prison in these matters as well.

Dennis McGrane, Yavapai County Attorney, stated “I would like to thank the jury in the Sexual Exploitation of a Minor case for their careful attention to this case, and the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office for their thorough investigation. Prosecutor George Rodriguez should be commended for his dogged determination to see justice prevail in this case despite many delays. I hope the jury’s verdict sends a clear message that Yavapai County is no place for those who abuse children or who seek out images of child pornography.”