Child Molester Sentenced to More than 150 Years in Prison

(Phoenix, Ariz. - July 27, 2005)  A Sedona man has been sentenced to more than 150 years in prison after being found guilty on four counts of Sexual Conduct with a Minor under 12 and five counts of Molestation of a Minor under 12.

Collin Pacheco, 35, was sentenced by Yavapai County Superior Court Judge Janis Ann Sterling on July 26 after a jury found him guilty in May. Pacheco was accused of sexually abusing his step-daughter between August 2002 and July 2003. Pacheco was divorced from his wife with whom he had a son. Pacheco was given visitation on weekends and would take the two children to his apartment. It was during these visitation periods when the abuse occurred.

Pacheco was found guilty on May 6, and was sentenced to four consecutive life sentences on the sexual conduct counts. Each life sentence requires the defendant to serve no less than 35 years before he is eligible for release.  This sentence requires Pacheco to serve 140 years before he would be eligible for release.   

Pacheco was also sentenced to 17 years for each of the five molestation counts. These sentences are also consecutive. This sentence requires Pacheco to serve 85 years. Because some of the molestation counts are subsumed by the sexual conduct counts, the total sentence runs to 157 years.  

Assistant Attorneys General Desi Rubalcaba and Laura Reckert prosecuted this case.