Man gets life sentence in Arizona prison for abusing child

MESA, Ariz. — A man was recently issued two life sentences in an Arizona prison after he was found guilty of abusing an 8-year-old.

David Cruz, 44, received an additional 30 years in prison for sex crimes committed against a child in Mesa, according to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office. 

When he was questioned by Mesa police, Cruz reportedly admitted to the acts but tried to “deflect blame” onto the victim, MCAO said.

Cruz went on trial for the offenses after the girl disclosed to a relative that Cruz had been touching her inappropriately for months. At the conclusion of the bench trial, a judge found the defendant guilty of multiple “dangerous crimes” against children.

The girl was called to testify during the trial about the sexual abuse.

“It takes unimaginable courage for a child to testify in court about such trauma,” Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell said in a statement. “Her strength not only helped bring a dangerous predator to justice but also sends a powerful message that victims will be heard and protected.”

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How big is Maricopa County?

Maricopa County is the United States’ 4th largest county in terms of population with 4,485,414 people, according to the 2020 Census.

The county contains around 63% of Arizona’s population and is 9,224 square miles. That makes the county larger than seven U.S. states (Rhode Island, Delaware, Connecticut, Hawaii, New Jersey, Massachusetts and New Hampshire).

One of the largest park systems in the nation is also located in Maricopa County. The county has an estimated 120,000 acres of open space parks that includes hundreds of miles of trails, nature centers and campgrounds.

The county’s seat is located in Phoenix, which is also the state capital and the census-designated 5th most populous city in the United States.

The county was named after the Maricopa, or Piipaash, Native American Tribe.