MOHAVE VALLEY — A 3.5-year prison term has been imposed for youth related sex crimes committed by a Mohave Valley man. Mohave County Superior Court judge Lee Jantzen also ordered Joseph Chipman, 41, to serve 20 years probation upon his release from prison.
Chipman was sentenced on October 8 after previously pleading guilty to luring a minor for sexual exploitation and two counts reduced to attempted sexual exploitation of a minor.
Chipman was arrested after Mohave County Sheriff’s Office personnel conducted a July 1 search of a residence located in the 10000 block of Copper Lane.
Defense attorney Greg McPhillips said drug and alcohol abuse and mental health issues are not excuses, but help explain his client’s conduct.
“I made a mistake,” was all Chipman said when provided opportunity to address the Court.
Deputy Mohave County attorney Leah Nelson noted that the defendant was found to be in possession of images of child pornography. She said he also engaged in repeated communications requesting sex acts, images and videos of the 15-year-old daughter of a person with whom he attended high school.
“This is a situation where he sought out the minor, looking for her on Facebook,” Nelson said. She said his offers of drugs and money for sex and the months-long repeated nature of the attempted seduction exacerbated the luring crime.
Judge Jantzen said he considered the luring conviction more serious than the image possession offenses because Chipman was actively seeking sex with the minor. He ordered Chipman to engage in counseling and to have no contact with anyone under the age of 18 while on probation.
