Paul Darrell Burdette, Aggravated Sexual Abuse, Arizona 2019

A brutal assault has left a community shaken in Payson, Arizona.

On August 6, 2017, Paul Darrell Burdette, of Payson, Ariz., forcibly raped a victim in a wooded area on the Tonto Apache Indian Reservation, according to court documents.

A four-day jury trial concluded on May 17, 2019, with Burdette found guilty of one count of Aggravated Sexual Abuse.

On December 23, 2019, U.S. District Judge Steven P. Logan sentenced Burdette to 175 months of imprisonment to be followed by supervised release for life.

The investigation in this case was conducted by the Tonto Apache Police Department. The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tracy Van Buskirk and Brandon Brown, District of Arizona, Phoenix.

Burdette's lengthy prison sentence is a testament to the tireless efforts of law enforcement and prosecutors in bringing the perpetrator to justice.

Payson residents are breathing a sigh of relief, knowing that justice has been served in this heinous crime.

For more information, please contact the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Arizona.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-az/pr/payson-man-sentenced-145-years-prison-sexual-assault