By Delarita Ford
Mail | X: @AzNewsmedia

A Nadaburg Unified School District bus driver was indicted last week on several charges of sexual conduct with a minor.

Charles Ellington, 67, was arrested by the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office earlier this month and charged Dec. 10 with multiple crimes. Ellington was fired by the district, and that prompted a letter to parents and guardians about the arrest.

Ellington was indicted on 10 counts, nine of which involved sexual conduct with someone who was under age 15. A tenth count, obstructing criminal investigations or prosecutions.

District officials declined to comment on the record about the case, but the district sent a Dec. 1 letter from Superintendent Dr. Aspasia Angelou to parents that said Ellington was  employed by Nadaburg from Aug. 26, 2021, to Oct. 8, 2025.

Noting how the district “holds the safety and well-being of every student as our highest responsibility,” Angelou stated the seriousness of trust expected by the district among all employees.

A family member of one victim, who requests to remain anonymous to protect the child’s identity, not only wants an investigation and full report about the incident, but wants other families to be aware of the dangers that exist for children in a vulnerable setting since “this situation deserves proper public coverage so that families in the community understand the seriousness of what occurred and can keep their children safe.”

In the letter, Angelou sought to assure parents about the district’s hiring practices to ensure student safety by having prospective employees undergo a screening process beyond the minimum requirements of Arizona law — including Department of Public Safety fingerprint clearance cards, professional reference checks, and additional district-mandated background reviews.

“When we were first notified by the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Department on Sept. 3, 2025, of an investigation involving this individual, (Ellington) was immediately placed on administrative leave and the district cooperated with the investigators in all requests,” Angelou wrote. “On Sept. 11, 2025, he was served with a notice of termination by the district while the law enforcement investigation continued.”

In addition to all Nadaburg staff being required to maintain a valid DPS-issued fingerprint clearance card, the district requires clearance through an independent background service. The process includes ongoing checks, and the district receives daily notifications from DPS if any employee’s card is suspended or revoked, “allowing us to act immediately,” Angelou stated in the letter.

During his time with the district, Ellington held a valid CDL, maintained a clean drug and alcohol testing record and had an active fingerprint clearance card issued by the Arizona Department of Public Safety while employed by the district, Angelou stated.

Angelou stated the letter was not sent to parents until after an arrest was made as officials were still investigating Ellington and the district was continuing to cooperate with MCSO investigators.

“Now that an arrest has been made and charges have been filed, we are able to communicate with our community while continuing to respect the integrity of the investigation,” Angelou wrote. “Law enforcement has assured the district that the victims in this case have been identified and are engaging in the investigative process.”

Delarita Ford
Lead Reporter | Surprise

dford@iniusa.org

Meet Delarita
Delarita Ford originally joined Independent Newspapers Incorporated, now Independent Newsmedia, Inc. USA in 1997, as a general assignment reporter for the Delaware State News daily paper after starting her journalism career in Maryland in 1994, where she honed her skills by writing obituaries, covering community news from births to deaths, education to legislation and more. As a reporter, she has had the opportunity to cover sitting and former U.S. presidential visits in Baltimore, Delaware, and Arizona.

Community: One of the few seasoned journalists who still enjoys covering community events, she can be found with a reporter’s pad taking notes, her phone taking pictures while capturing life’s moments to memorialize them in print for the local newspapers and for the active-adult community where she lives. She maintains a presence with the Black media and the National Association of Black Journalists to encourage peers, socialize, and mentor younger writers.

Education: Life learner who learns from life. Aside from the collegiate education received, she got the best training from on-the-job experience with former editors who went through copy with a red pen and demanded the best writing for hard news and feature stories. 

Random Fact: While a Delaware State News reporter, she could call then Sen. Joe Biden and his wife, Dr. Jill Biden, usually late at night if a quote or input was needed for varying topics, including legislation and education.

Hobbies: Adopt rescue dogs and give them a nice home. Continuously read and critique news stories from various platforms.