FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – A Prescott Valley resident was sentenced Friday to nearly 50 years imprisonment by the Superior Court of Yavapai County on local charges related to child exploitation following a joint investigation by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Prescott Valley Police Department.
According to court documents, David Speer Sr., 71, will be required to serve the entirety of his sentence without the possibility of parole. Speer was convicted of 24 counts of violations of Arizona State law related to child exploitation, specifically, 10 counts of production and possession of child pornography, 10 counts of voyeurism, four counts of child molestation and three counts of ongoing child sexual abuse. Speer’s guilty plea and sentencing was the same date, Nov. 8.
“No crime impacts law enforcement agents as deeply as the abuse of an innocent child by the people he or she trusts the most,” said Scott Brown, special agent in charge for HSI Phoenix. “HSI hereby puts child predators on notice: there is no refuge for child sexual predators who believe they can pursue their perverse behavior with impunity; they cannot escape justice and there will be serious consequences for their heinous actions.”
Through investigative techniques, Speer came to that attention of law enforcement officers which paved the way for officers to successfully execute a search warrant related to child exploitation at his trailer earlier this year. Upon his arrest March 4, agents identified three female child victims between the ages of three and nine and immediately rescued them.
The relationship between Speer and his victims was not revealed to protect the children’s identity.
“The outstanding effort in this joint investigation with HSI resulted in the defendants’ arrest and lengthy sentence,” said Prescott Valley Police Chief Steven Roser. “Our community is safer with this child predator behind bars. I encourage our residents to notify law enforcement if they suspect someone is abusing our most vulnerable population, our children. Prescott Valley will not tolerate this kind of behavior and will pursue justice to the highest degree to ensure there are consequences to these despicable acts.”
