A Glendale man arrested on charges of sexual exploitation of a minor collapsed in court minutes after a prosecutor said he could face up to 100 years in prison if he is convicted.
Joshua Lozano, 42, of Glendale, crumpled behind a podium on Sept. 11. He was making an initial appearance in Maricopa County Superior Court after being arrested on 10 felony counts of sexual exploitation of a minor.
His attorney, Michael Tamou, was asking for a reduced bond and arguing the amount could not be set based on the severity of the allegations alone when Lozano fell to the floor. Minutes earlier, Deputy Maricopa County Attorney Ashley Stetson had asked for a higher, $150,000 bond, noting that each charge carries a possible 10-year sentence that would effectively
become a life sentence if Lozano is convicted.
Lozano was seen by Correctional Health Services and released on Sept. 13, according to Maricopa County Sheriff's Office spokesperson Dave Moyer.
Tamou did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the case or the courtroom incident.
A probable cause statement that lays out the charges against Lozano says Glendale police obtained search warrants for Lozano's phone and internet provider, which were tied to accounts that uploaded pornographic images and videos of young girls.
The police investigation followed tips received in April and May from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, a national nonprofit that works to combat sexual abuse of children. The center operates a tipline and assists local law enforcement agencies with investigations.
"Lozano was found possessing 'hundreds' of files of child pornography," Glendale police spokesperson Sgt. Justin Ramsay said in an email. "He additionally admitted to meeting with a minor to have sex but claimed he did not know her age at the time they had sex."
Lozano works at Banner Health's Del E Webb Medical Center in Sun City West, according to the probable cause statement. Arrest records indicate Lozano was arrested at the hospital on Sept. 10.
A spokesperson for Banner, who declined to identify themselves when contacted via email by The Arizona Republic, also declined to answer questions about Lozano's job there or employment status, citing "Banner Health policy" that prohibits comment on "employee matters."
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona man collapses in court after hearing of 100-year sentence
