A day after its founding owner, Randall Denton, was sentenced in a Maricopa County courthouse for attempted sex trafficking with a minor, Phoenix – based Xanadu Coffee announced on Instagram that it is “closed until further notice.”
The company’s Instagram post revealed that its employees were largely unaware of the case’s details until Wednesday morning’s sentencing. Denton, 42, founded Xanadu Coffee as a coffee roasting and wholesale supply business in the early 2010s and later co – opened a coffee shop in downtown Phoenix with Jessica Bueno, who left the company in 2022.
In the post, Xanadu Coffee asked the public to respect the privacy and safety of its employees, discouraging any misdirected anger towards them. “Although we intended to continue as an employee – owned and – operated company, there are crucial aspects of the case that our staff didn’t know about,” the statement read. “At this moment, we need time to absorb the news and carefully consider the appropriate next steps.”
Denton pleaded guilty in January to attempted sex trafficking with a minor and was sentenced to one year in prison, along with lifetime supervised probation. Maricopa County Superior Court records show that a second charge of attempt to commit sexual conduct with a minor was dropped as part of the plea deal.
Last year, Denton was arrested in an online police sting operation. According to a Phoenix New Times report based on police records, Denton responded to an online ad from someone posing as an 18 – year – old woman. When the person, actually a police officer, claimed to be 14 in a text exchange, Denton was arrested outside a shopping mall with $250 and a condom as he attempted to meet the individual.
In yesterday’s Instagram post, Xanadu emphasized that “Randall Denton is no longer involved in Xanadu Coffee’s operations or any of its affiliated businesses. Our staff will be working to find the best way to support our community, customers, and employees.” Xanadu Coffee did not respond immediately to DCN’s request for comment on the company’s ownership structure.
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