After 18 years, Arizona man sentenced for sexually assaulting child on Gila River Indian Reservation

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TUCSON, Ariz. - An Arizona man has been sentenced to more than 17 years in prison for sexually assaulting a child on the Gila River Indian Community back in 2004.

The case had gone cold for 15 years until DNA evidence in 2019 identified Willcox resident Joshua William Scheu as the perpetrator.

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, a little girl had been waiting on the side of the road for some friends when Scheu got out of his car, chased her into a cornfield and sexually assaulted her.

Scheu pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a minor and has been sentenced to 210 months in prison.

After release, the 37-year-old will be required to register as a sex offender and complete a treatment program.

"This case is another great example of the meaningful role that DNA testing has had in solving cold cases," said United States Attorney Gary Restaino in a statement.