Red Mesa Man Convicted of Aggravated Sexual Abuse

PHOENIX Clarence Dee, 39, of Red Mesa, Ariz., was found guilty of two counts of Aggravated Sexual Abuse by a federal jury in Phoenix. The case was tried before United States District Court Judge Neil V. Wake on July 31. The defendant was held in custody after trial. Sentencing is set before Judge Wake on October 22, 2007. The evidence at trial showed that on December 26, 2006, a sixteen year old boy went to visit the defendant, a preacher and family friend, over his school break.. During the late evening, after the had gone to bed, the defendant sexually assaulted the victim twice. The victim left the home in a remote part of the Navajo reservation and ran for over three miles to call for help. The victim suffered some physical trauma, and DNA identified the defendant as the perpetrator. A conviction for Aggravated Sexual Abuse carries a maximum penalty of life, a $250,000 fine or both. In determining an actual sentence, Judge Wake will consult the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, which provide appropriate sentencing ranges. The judge, however, is not bound by those guidelines in determining a sentence. The investigation leading to the guilty verdict was conducted by the Navajo Department of Law Enforcement and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution was handled by Dyanne C. Greer, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix.