Contributed Photo/Courtesy GCSO: Dustin Luther Todd was sentenced to 20 years in prison for sexually abusing children.
By Jon Johnson
SAFFORD – A man who sexually abused two children over a four-year period will spend the next 20 years behind bars.
Dustin Luther Todd, 41, of Bonita, previously took a plea offer in May that dismissed six of the eight counts of sexual conduct with a minor and amended one count to an attempted charge.
The counts Todd plead to entail acts committed against minors between Jan. 1, 2015, and Dec. 31, 2019. Todd pleaded guilty to sexual conduct with a minor – a class-2 felony and a dangerous crime against children, and attempted sexual conduct with a minor – a class-3 felony and a dangerous crime against children.
Graham County Deputy County Attorney Stephen Lundell prosecuted the case for the state and Todd was represented by attorney Josi Lopez.
According to Todd’s plea agreement, probation was stipulated on the attempt count but a term of incarceration in prison would be determined by the sitting judge on the more serious count.
On Monday, June 19, Graham County Superior Court Judge Pro Tem Travis W. Ragland weighed mitigating factors including no prior felony convictions, support of friends and family, and acceptance of responsibility, against aggravating factors such as the emotional and physical harm done to the victims and the continuance of the crimes for years.
Facing a sentence of between 13 to 27 years in prison, Judge Ragland sentenced Todd to the presumptive term of 20 years with credit for 165 days served. The sentence is flat time, which means Todd will be incarcerated for the entire 20 years. After sentencing, Todd was taken back to the Graham County Adult Detention Facility, and on Wednesday, June 21 was transferred to ASPC-Phoenix to begin his prison sentence.
Upon his release (tentatively set for Dec. 31, 2042), Todd will be placed on lifetime sex offender probation under the supervision of the Graham County Adult Probation Department.
