Crestview grad arrested for posing as high school student in Arizona
by Saien
YUMA, Ariz. - Authorities say a 22-year-old man accused of posing as a student at two Yuma high schools has been charged with three counts of forgery and 11 counts of sexual conduct with a minor.
During his arraignment Monday in Yuma Justice Court, bail for Anthony M. Avalos was ordered to remain at $110,865.
Avalos, who actually graduated from a Crestview (Fla.) High School in 2005, was arrested Nov. 5 by Yuma police for fraudulently attending Kofa High School and Vista Alternative School intermittently since September 2008.
Police say Avalos admitted he created a fake birth certificate using a word processing program on his laptop computer to enroll in the schools. He also admitted to having sex several times with a girl he knew was under age 18.
When asked by police why he was posing as a high school student, Avalos said he wanted to play basketball in hopes of getting a college scholarship.