Bragonier convicted of child molestation

A Maricopa man has been convicted on five counts of sexually abusing a minor in 2017.

Ronald Bragonier, 56, remained still as a clerk read the jury’s findings Thursday on each count. The jury had taken more than two days to determine his guilt on each of the charges after a two-week trial in Pinal County Superior Court.

He was accused of four counts of molestation of a child and one count of sexual conduct with a minor. He was arrested in 2017.

Though already incarcerated at Pinal County Adult Detention, Bragonier was cuffed shortly after the conviction announcement and taken back to the jail.

Sentencing comes at a later date. By state statute, child molestation has a maximum penalty of 24 years and a minimum of 10 years, with a presumptive time served of 17 years. The range for sexual conduct with a minor under 15 years of age is 13-27 years, with presumptive sentencing of 20 years.

According to prosecutor Kristen Sharifi, a deputy county attorney, Bragonier started abusing the victim when the child was 13 years old. Sharifi used a little physical evidence and a barrage of text messages in the case against him.

Bragonier had claimed the victim was lying.

Bragonier had been a trusted friend of the victim’s family. The victim and Bragonier’s child were both involved in Rockstar Cheer Arizona, a cheerleading gymnasium where Bragonier also volunteered as a handyman. The incidents cited the charges occurred in private homes.