ARAPAHOE COUNTY, Colo. — A 31-year-old man with prior convictions for child sex assault has been sentenced to 80 years in prison after pleading guilty to four additional charges for sexual exploitation of a child.
Erik McDaugale reached this agreement with prosecutors on Oct. 23, and other counts against him were subsequently dismissed.
Prosecutors said that following a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, Aurora Police were able to trace child pornography videos and images back to McDaugale, who was living in an acquaintance’s basement at the time and was wanted on a warrant for failing to register as a sex offender.
McDaugale’s victim was five years old, according to the 18th Judicial District Attorney’s Office.
“There is no sentence harsh enough for any of these actions in singularity, much less for all of these actions taken together,” said Deputy District Attorney James Bornhoft in court. “All I can say is this plea agreement will make sure that this defendant doesn’t step foot in society again.”
Arapahoe County District Court Judge Darren Vahl ultimately imposed McDaugale’s sentence on Jan. 15.
“Child pornography revictimizes the children you have already harmed – and it creates a new obsession/perversion in other people – you are part of the cycle that will cause victimization of another child,” Vahle said at the sentencing. “You cannot ever be near children.”
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