The Maricopa County Attorney's Office has confirmed the indictment of a man for sex offenses that spanned several years in the early 2000s. Dat Vu, born in March 1980, faces charges for crimes that allegedly took place in Phoenix and Glendale, victimizing individuals who were between 13 and 17 years old at the time. According to Maricopa County Attorney's Office, Vu is charged with multiple felonies including two counts of Sexual Assault and Sexual Conduct with a Minor.
In a recent announcement, County Attorney Rachel Mitchell stated that Vu was identified in part through DNA testing conducted on sexual assault kits. Some of these kits, which date back several decades, were only recently processed due to a longstanding backlog—a challenge faced by many jurisdictions nationwide. Efforts to address this issue in Maricopa County have been supported by nearly $9 million in funding from the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) grants awarded to the Maricopa County Attorney's Office over recent years.
Mitchell highlighted the importance of these grants, stating, "SAKI grants help us take a crucial step toward closure by providing the resources necessary to process sexual assault kits." She added, "It’s not only about solving these cases but restoring hope and giving victims the long-overdue justice they deserve." This statement highlights a commitment to addressing not just the crimes themselves, but the healing process for those affected, in a statement obtained by the Maricopa County Attorney's Office.
Despite the charges, an indictment is not considered evidence of guilt. Vu has not been convicted and is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
