Arizona man sentenced for sex crimes against children

PHOENIX — A retired California deputy was sentenced Friday to 10 years in prison for planning sex crimes against children in Arizona, authorities said.

Jeffrey Joseph York, a 68-year-old Prescott resident, was previously found guilty of luring a minor for sexual exploitation and two counts of attempted sexual conduct with a minor, according to the Yavapai County Attorney’s Office.

York retired from the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department, according to authorities.

Why was the Arizona man charged with sex crimes?

On Sept. 30, 2023, local law enforcement and the FBI Human Trafficking Task Force used social media to find criminals who were looking to sexually exploit children.

An undercover officer pretended to be a 7-year-old boy and an 11-year-old girl who planned to meet York for sex.

York made contact through social media, texts and two phone calls and went into detail on the acts he planned to commit with the children.

Once York arrived at the arranged location to meet with the children, he was arrested on the spot.

Yavapai County Attorney Dennis McGrane was hoping for a longer sentence, but the judge was restricted by a recent precedent set by the Arizona Court of Appeals. However, that precedent is being appealed to the state Supreme Court.

“If the Supreme Court overrules that precedent, we will seek a new sentence of 30 years for Mr. York, the maximum allowed by law, given Mr. York’s shocking and despicable conduct,” McGrane said in a press release.