A Sierra Vista man already in prison for sexually abusing a five-year-old girl in May 2018 won’t have to serve more time behind bars even though he recently pleaded guilty to engaging in sexual intercourse with another child.
Paul Anthony Chasse entered his plea in Cochise County Superior Court on Sept. 16 when he admitted engaging in sexual intercourse with a child from 2012 to 2016. The child was under the age of 12 when the abuse started, which means the Class 2 felony falls under Arizona’s dangerous crime against children statute.
Chasse, 59, would normally face a sentencing range of 13 years to life when sentenced Oct. 28 but the hearing is only a formality. That’s because a plea deal negotiated by the Cochise County Attorney’s Office requires Presiding Judge James Conlogue to impose a sentence of exactly 18 years, 5 months, and 5 days.
The specific length of time coincides with Chasse’s eligibility for release on a 23-year sentence Conlogue imposed earlier this year after Chasse admitted he attempted sexual intercourse after restraining a five-year-old girl in May 2018. The girl required medical treatment for injuries sustained when she was left overnight in his care.
The girl’s mother, Mary Jane Jerroll, is serving two years on probation for acting with criminal negligence by endangering her daughter’s safety. She told investigators she knew Chasse was a drug dealer but insisted she had no idea he was a registered sex offender.
Public records show Chasse was required to register with the Cochise County Sheriff’s Office due to a sexual abuse conviction more than 20 years ago. The community wasn’t notified of his offender status because the conviction occurred before Megan’s Law took effect in Arizona in June 1996.
According to the Arizona Department of Corrections, Chasse is eligible for release from prison in November 2037 at age 77. He would then remain under ADC community supervision -formerly referred to as parole- until April 2041.
However, Chasse may never return to Sierra Vista or any community. The county attorney’s office notified Chasse that he may be subject to a civil commitment petition under Arizona’s sexual violent person statute. If granted, Chasse could be indefinitely confined in a non-correctional facility once released from prison.