A Sierra Vista man will be sentenced this week to 17 years in prison after he recently accepted a plea deal which ensures several children will not have to testify at trial about being sexually abused.
Carl Stephen King II has been in the Cochise County jail since August 2021 after an 11-year-old girl complained of being sexually molested by King while visiting his home several weeks earlier.
King, 48, is slated for sentencing Dec. 9 for involving molestation of a child, attempted sexual conduct with a minor, and furnishing obscene items to a minor.
The plea agreement calls for a flat-time prison term, meaning King is not eligible for early release.
That same agreement requires King’s sentence to include lifetime probation upon release from prison along with a requirement he register as a sex offender no matter what state King resides in. Court records show King will be credited with nearly 500 days spent in jail awaiting resolution of the case.
Tianna E. Grant, King’s co-defendant, was sentenced in September to eight years in prison followed by several years of probation for non-sexual crimes against minors. Her sentence was prompted by a guilty plea, while King entered a no contest plea.
A no contest plea means King did not admit to committing the three charges but agreed the evidence was sufficient to find him guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Therefore he will be convicted and sentenced as if found guilty.
READ MORE ABOUT GRANT’S SENTENCE:
Mother Who Was Abused As Child Will Spend 8 Years In Prison For Crimes Against Minors