Patrick Golden Bennett

Sources

1. Former Snowflake teacher gets 9 years for sex conduct with a student, White Mountain Independent, April 5, 2013.
2. Patrick Golden Bennett, Offender Radar, October 6, 2025.
3. Former SJHS Teacher Is Charged With Sexual Conduct With Minor , Painted Desert Tribune, January 16, 2013.

• 1. Former Snowflake teacher gets 9 years for sex conduct with a student

  • 20130405
  • News article
  • White Mountain Independent

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  HOLBROOK — A former Snowflake Junior High School language arts teacher accused of sexual conduct with a 15-year-old female student was sentenced to nearly a decade behind bars after changing his plea to guilty.

  The crimes took place in August, September and December of last year.

  On March 25, Patrick Golden Bennett, 54, was sentenced by Navajo County Superior Court Judge John N. Lamb to spend a mitigated term of nine years in the Department of Corrections on two counts of sexual conduct with a minor, after Bennett waived his right to a jury trial. Lamb gave him four years on one count of a class two felony and five on another. He ordered that the sentences run consecutively.

  Bennett received credit for 81 days already served and was ordered to pay undisclosed restitution to the victim.

  All remaining charges were dismissed in the plea agreement he signed, which requires him to register as a sex offender.

  Bennett was represented by Deputy Legal Defender T. Kent Brewer. Deputy County Attorney Robert F. Edwards was the prosecutor in the case.

  Bennett was immediately taken from the court room and into the Department of Corrections.

  Just after the beginning of this year, The Independent reported Bennett had been arrested on Jan. 9 by Snowflake Police, accused of violating an order of protection to stay away from the then-15-year-old girl. Police said he had provided her with a cell phone to maintain contact.

  The Snowflake School District severed his employment as soon as they found out he had given the girl the first phone.

  Snowflake Unified School District Superintendent Hollis Merrell pointed out in January that the allegations of sexual conduct had not been made when the district first heard of Bennett giving the student a cell phone. He said the district cooperated fully with the police investigation that eventually led to the discovery that Bennett had sexual contact with the student.

  “Sometime between Feb. 7, 2012, and Jan. 1, 2013, (Bennett) purchased another phone and gave it to the student in order to continue a relationship,” Snowflake Police Chief Jerry Van Winkle said.

  When police learned of the second phone, a search warrant was executed and Bennett was arrested on two misdemeanor charges, one for use of a telephone to harass or offend and the other for contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

  Merrell informed the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) of Bennett’s arrest on the two misdemeanor charges. Based partly on that report, ADE officials revoked his teaching credentials.

  “Detective Shumway was the key to opening the hidden information and deserves credit on a job well done,” Van Winkle said in January.

• 2. Patrick Golden Bennett

  • 20251006
  • News article
  • Offender Radar

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  IMPORTANT OFFENDER DATA

  Level : Level 2
  Status : Active

  PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION

  Age : 66
  Sex : Male
  Height : 5'11''
  Weight : 225
  Race : White
  Hair Color : Brown
  Eye Color : Green

  OFFENSES

  Offense : 13-1405 - Sexual conduct with a minor
  Conviction State : Arizona
  Statute : 13-1405

  REGISTRATION DETAILS

  Collected From : Arizona State Registry

• 3. Former SJHS Teacher Is Charged With Sexual Conduct With Minor

  • 20130116
  • News article
  • Painted Desert Tribune

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  A former Snowflake Junior High School teacher who was arrested a year ago for his involvement with a student has once again been charged with crimes relating to that same student.
  Last January, Patrick Golden Bennett, 54, of Taylor was arrested for contributing to the delinquency of a minor, and using a telephone to harass or offend after it was determined that he had provided a student with a cell phone to communicate directly with him. Bennett resigned from his position at the school and an order of protection was obtained against him for the minor. A month later it was reportedly discovered that Bennett had continued contact with the student and he was charged with violation of an order of protection.
  This month the Snowflake-Taylor Police Department received information that Bennett had continued to violate the order of protection. According to information provided by the department, Bennett purchased an-other phone at some point in the year and gave it to the student in order to continue their relationship. Police say it was also discovered that on several occasions throughout their relationship Bennett had sexual relations with the minor.
  On Jan. 3 Bennett was arrested and charged with sexual conduct with a minor and violation of an order of protection. He was booked into the Navajo County Jail and is being held on a $50,000 bond.
  Police Chief Jerry Van Winkle credited Detective Les Shumway with breaking the case, noting, “Detective Shumway was the key to opening up the hidden information and deserves credit on a job well done. His thorough investigation will be crucial to prosecuting this crime.”
  The chief further stated that his department had received information that there may be other victims who have not come forward. He encourages anyone with information to contact the STPD at (928) 536-7500.