KINGMAN, Ariz. – Judge Billy Sipe told a Lake Havasu City teenager that never before had he seen a defendant so young, so heavily engrossed in pornography. Sipe addressed Tiberius Sass during an Oct. 1 sentencing hearing, ordering a five-year prison term, followed by lifetime probation.
Sass, 19, previously pleaded guilty to four charges reduced to attempted sexual exploitation of a minor. A cyber tip forwarded by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in May led to the Lake Havasu City Police Department’s execution of a search warrant targeting Sass’ online communications and social media platforms.
Judge Sipe told Sass he was disturbed that child pornography seized by investigators included an infant in diapers engaged in a sex act with a male adult and that other images showed female toddlers in distress while being raped.
“I just can’t even imagine why someone would want to watch this,” Sipe said. “I’d rather watch someone being murdered.”
Sipe said that the defendant admitted watching pornography beginning at the age of 10 before turning to child porn five years ago at the age of 14, and becoming addicted to enjoyment of societal taboo, puts Sass in a class ahead of many kiddie porn purveyors.
“You are on the higher scale of the typical people that I see in these types of cases,” Sipe told Sass.
