Greenlee man sentenced to 2.5 years in prison for sexual abuse of a young girl

Contributed Photo: Joshua Allen Tucker, 36, was sentenced to 2.5 years in prison for the sexual abuse of a juvenile girl.

By Jon Johnson

jonjohnsonnews@gmail.com

CLIFTON – Joshua Allen Tucker, 36, was sentenced on Sept. 21 to 2.5 years in prison for sexually abusing his girlfriend’s sister.

Tucker previously pleaded no contest Aug. 5 to an amended charge of attempted sexual assault – a Class-3 felony, and sexual abuse – a Class-5 felony. According to the plea agreement, additional charges of sexual assault – a Class-2 felony, sexual conduct with a minor – a Class-6 felony, and assault with sexual motivation – a Class-3 misdemeanor, were dismissed.

Tucker was sentenced by Greenlee County Superior Court Judge Pro Tem Gary V. Scales, who appeared in the courtroom via Zoom. Judge Scales found aggravating factors of emotional harm to the victim and lying in wait to ambush her, and mitigating factors of the defendant’s remorse and family support.

The sentence was stipulated in the plea agreement, with probation guaranteed on the Class-3 felony of attempted sexual assault, and a term of 2.5 years in prison for the Class-5 felony of sexual abuse. Judge Scales sentenced Tucker to lifetime supervised probation with sex offender terms.

Contributed Photo: Joshua Allen Tucker

Greenlee County Chief Deputy County Attorney Robert Gilliland represented the state, and Tucker was represented by attorneys Daisy Flores and Dennis McCarthy.   

Authorities first got wind of the alleged sexual assault Dec. 2, 2019, when Tucker himself was assaulted by the victim’s mother, who “socked” him after learning about the allegation from her daughter, which had come out after a therapy session. The mother was given a citation for assault and released at the scene. 

On Dec. 4, 2019, the victim was given a forensic interview at the Cochise Family Advocacy Center and said she had been assaulted twice by Tucker, once in December 2018 when he allegedly inappropriately touched her and again in July of 2019 while he was living at the same residence. During the July incident, the victim said she had gotten up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom and afterward Tucker had cornered her and sexually assaulted her. 

On Dec. 6, 2019, Tucker was arrested and questioned about the allegations, which he vehemently denied.