Two Sierra Vista adults have been indicted by a Cochise County grand jury Thursday on multiple felonies for sexual activities and drug offenses involving several minors, including an 11-year-old girl who reported being molested after a night of drug use.
Carl Stephen King and his fiancé Tianna Elizabeth Grant are charged in connection to a July 27 incident at their home during which the 11-year-old girl reported being touched under her pants by King while Grant was in the same bed. Involving a minor under age 12 in any sexual or drug related offense carries severe, mandatory prison time in Arizona.
King, 46, and Grant, 27, were arrested Aug. 4 by detectives with the Sierra Vista Police Department. They are being held in the Cochise County jail on no-bail orders issued by a justice of the peace who noted the “danger to victim and community” if allowed out of custody pending trial.
Grant and King are also charged with giving the 11-year-old, and encouraging her to use, various sex toys at their home. Grant also disclosed to Det. Joshua Nicola that King discussed sexual fantasies related to the girl and had previously provided alcohol to the girl.
But the 11-year-old is not the only minor listed as a victim in the criminal charges.
King is alleged to have provided sex toys to another minor earlier in the month, and there are multiple counts related to providing drugs, alcohol, and access to pornography involving several teenaged minors.
In addition, Grant’s own young children were even the subject of sex-related conversations between her and King, she told Nicola, according to the detective’s probable cause statement.
Many of the charges contained in the indictment -such as permissive use of drugs and alcohol, and access to pornography and a sexually charged atmosphere- are considered “grooming activities” used to normalize abuse.
Court records show Nicola was assigned on July 28 to investigate the alleged molestation which was reported to police by the 11-year-old girl’s grandmother. The grandmother described Grant and King as being like an “aunt and uncle” to some members of the family even though there is no direct relationship.
According to the girl, King drove her and two other girls -ages 15 and 16- from a skate park to the house he shared with Grant. He also brought along an 18-year-old male. The group spent time on the patio; some smoked Grant’s medical marijuana and some imbibed in Fireball Whiskey provided by King.
Another of the girls said Grant “wanted to see who could chug the most.” At one point, Grant engaged in oral sex with the young male and told the young girls about it. One of the girls told Nicola that Grant invited her to take part in a threesome but she declined.
The same girl told Nicola that King said she could walk around the house naked if she wanted.
On the patio, the 11-year-old used marijuana, as well as “dab,” which is marijuana concentrate laced with fluid such as butane or propane. The girl became nauseous and went to the master bathroom. She ended up on the bed in the master bedroom with Grant, who also got sick.
The next morning, the 11-year-old disclosed to Grant and one of the other girls that King had touched her while Grant was also in the bed. She then called her grandmother and reported the same.
As part of his investigation, Nicola arranged a confrontation call between King and the grandmother. A confrontation call is a common practice used by detectives during which a victim or a relative is encouraged to get a suspect to make incriminating statements about alleged abuse. The conversation was recorded by the detective and can be used as evidence at trial.
King later told Nicola “did not remember” what happened but suggested he may have thought he was touching Grant while sleeping.
Another 15-year-old girl who frequently visited the Grant / King house told detectives that King recently offered her access to pornography and sex toys. King confirmed the girl’s statement during a second police interview on Aug. 4.
It was during that interview that Grant told detectives King had taken several photographs of the 11-year-old in bed and also allowed minors to watch pornography on a tablet, according to Nicola.
King and Grant were taken into custody after the interview. Among the charges are child molestation, sexual conduct with a minor, involving a minor in a drug offense, furnishing obscene or harmful items to a minor, and luring a child for sexual exploitation.
Additional charges involving other minors are possible as the investigation continues. Anyone with information or questions about the case can call Det. Nicola at 520-452-7500.
