Aaron Thomas Mitchell, the former U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer found guilty of abducting a 15-year-old girl, driving her to his apartment, and repeatedly sexually assaulting her, has been sentenced to 27 years in prison.
According to a news release from the United States Department of Justice, Mitchell found the child waiting for school to start in Douglas, introduced himself as a law enforcement officer, and ordered her into his car.
From there, he restrained her hands and feet with handcuffs and drove her to his apartment in Sierra Vista. At the apartment, he forced the girl into his bedroom, where he repeatedly sexually assaulted her, before returning her to an alley near the school, the news release said.
“As we work to secure the southern border, it is essential that our law enforcement officers remain above reproach and are trusted by the people they protect,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine for the District of Arizona. “This sentence shows that if anyone abuses their position of authority, they will face the harshest consequences available. And while we can never undo the pain inflicted by this defendant on the victim, we are proud to see that justice has been served.”
