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After two days of deliberation, a jury convicted former U.S. Customs and Border Protection agent Aaron Mitchell of a federal civil rights violation and kidnapping for the sexual assault and abduction of a minor, the Department of Justice announced Friday.
Evidence showed that on April 25, 2022, Mitchell traveled to Douglas, Arizona, where he abducted a 15-year-old middle school student, restrained her, and took her to his apartment, where he sexually assaulted her, according to the DOJ.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division stated the following: “This defendant had a duty to protect his community but instead he abused his power, kidnapped, cuffed and restrained a young girl, and repeatedly sexually assaulted her in his apartment for hours. With this verdict, the jury has done us all a great service by holding accountable this former federal law enforcement official. The Justice Department will continue to stand up for sexual assault victims, especially children, and we will prosecute law enforcement officials who break the law with every tool at our disposal.”
During the two-week trial, it was revealed that Mitchell posed as a law enforcement officer, approaching the girl as she waited for school. He demanded her papers, flashed a fake badge, and ordered her into his car, claiming he was taking her to the police station. Instead, he drove her miles away, where he handcuffed her and warned her to comply, stating he didn’t want to hurt her, according to the DOJ.
Mitchell repeatedly sexually assaulted the girl over several hours, according to the DOJ. He then returned her near her school and warned her not to tell anyone. Despite the threat, the victim immediately reported the incident to her friends, family, and law enforcement.
Ex-Arizona border agent convicted in schoolgirl’s sex-assault https://t.co/1NM2dH9a1u
— Arizona Daily Star (@TucsonStar) August 31, 2024
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