A Prescott man, Brett David Ellis, has been handed a 16-year sentence following his conviction for crimes including kidnapping and sexual assault. This development was reported following an announcement from the Yavapai County Attorney's Office, which confirmed Ellis's fate and the details surrounding the sentencing. The 35-year-old will also face the requirement to register as a sex offender and undergo seven years of probation upon his release from prison, according to FOX 10 Phoenix.
Yavapai County Attorney Dennis McGrane emphasized the gravity of Ellis's crimes and the consequential sentencing by stating, "I hope the lengthy sentence imposed in this case sends a strong message that crimes of this nature will not be tolerated in Yavapai County,” McGrane said, “Sexual assault is a horrific crime. I encourage anyone who has been the victim of such a crime to promptly report it so that the perpetrator can be brought to justice before anyone else can be victimized,” in a statement obtained by AZFamily.
Ellis was found guilty by a jury on July 25 on multiple counts: two of sexual assault, one of kidnapping, and one of aggravated assault. Court proceedings brought to light the experience of the victim, who after being lured to Ellis’s residence in Prescott, was bound, sexually assaulted, and inflicted with other injuries, as reported by FOX 10 Phoenix.
The prosecution presented compelling evidence, including the victim’s testimony describing being bound and assaulted by Ellis. After one assault, the victim took advantage of a moment when Ellis was distracted to persuade him to loosen the tape on her hands. This act of determination enabled her to escape and quickly report the incident to the Prescott Police, the details of this narrative presented in court were subsequently shared in an AZFamily article.
