Hurricane man in jail suspected of aggravated sexual abuse following prior arrest on similar charges

In this 2016 file photo police officers respond to armed robbery finding two suspects in vehicle in Hurricane, Utah, June 21, 2016 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News

ST. GEORGE — A Hurricane man was arrested following an investigation into a report alleging the sexual abuse of one child that led detectives to a second child younger than age 8 who also reportedly suffered similar abuse.

The initial investigation began at the end of December when Hurricane City Police detectives investigated a report of sexual abuse involving 37-year-old Dusty James Robertson.

According to the probable cause statement filed Dec. 29, detectives learned through the course of several interviews that Robertson reportedly had sexually abused a child under the age of 13 on more than one occasion. The abuse involved inappropriate touching and other sexual acts, according to police, which was later supported by a medical examination conducted on the child shortly thereafter.

The suspect was interviewed a few days later, during which he admitted to exposing himself to the child, but according to the report, he denied the other allegations of sexual abuse.

Robertson was arrested, transported to jail and booked on three first-degree felony charges, including sodomy of a child and two counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a child. He was held in jail without bail until Jan. 18, when bail was set at $100,000 during a hearing in 5th District Court. Robertson was released after posting a bond shortly thereafter.

The case was bound over for trial and a review hearing is scheduled to take place March 8.

In the meantime, officers were called in to investigate a report of similar sexual abuse and the sexual assault of a second child that was younger than 8 at the time.

Officers also learned that after Robertson’s release from jail last month, he had moved to a residence located in close proximity to the children. Detectives also received information that Robertson, on more than one occasion, allegedly was seen glaring at one of the children, which reportedly caused the child fear as they made their way to school.

On Monday, Robertson was arrested in Hurricane shortly after 3 p.m. on the recent case and transported to Purgatory Correctional Facility facing two additional charges of aggravated sexual abuse of a child and sodomy of a child.

The officer also requested the suspect be held without bail, citing there was now a second victim, in addition to the seriousness of the crimes reported, and the fact that Robertson had the ability financially to post a bond following the arrest in December.

On Tuesday, the Washington County Attorney’s Office filed the charges, and a second first-degree felony charge of sodomy of a child was added in the case. Robertson made an initial appearance in 5th District Court later that day. A protective order was put in place to protect the children.

In all, the defendant faces seven first-degree felony charges – four counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a child and three counts of sodomy of a child between the two cases. The request to hold the suspect without bond also was approved by the court and Robertson remains in custody without bail.

This report is based on statements from court records, police or other responders and may not contain the full scope of findings. Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact.

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2022, all rights reserved.

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