Kelly Rae Smith, a 45-year-old babysitter from Prescott Valley, will likely spend the rest of her life behind bars after admitting to a series of crimes that prosecutors describe as among the most disturbing they have seen.
On Wednesday, a Yavapai County Superior Court judge sentenced Smith to 52 years in prison for sexually assaulting a toddler in her care and engaging in sexual acts with a dog. Prosecutors say she has been credited with about 10 months of time already served and will not see a day of freedom for decades.
Under the plea deal, Smith pleaded guilty to four counts of sexual assault of a child, three counts of attempted sexual exploitation of a child and one count of bestiality, according to AZFamily. The agreement requires her to serve the entire 52-year term with no possibility of early release.
How Investigators Say the Case Unfolded
The case cracked open in April 2024, when an acquaintance of Smith went to Prescott Valley police with a deeply disturbing tip. They reported seeing online posts and a video that appeared to show Smith molesting children she babysat.
Detectives launched an investigation and eventually uncovered what they describe as a trove of incriminating digital material, including additional video, images and chat logs. Investigators say that evidence documented both child sexual abuse and bestiality. Smith was arrested in May 2025, as reported by WKRC.
Prosecutor Calls Crimes Shocking
Yavapai County Attorney Dennis McGrane did not mince words about the case. In a news release, he called people who commit these types of offenses a grave danger to the public.
“People who choose to sexually abuse children or animals are incredibly dangerous and cannot be reformed,” McGrane said, urging Arizona lawmakers to consider expanding capital-punishment options in cases of adult sexual assault against children, AZFamily reports.
Prosecutors added that the plea deal avoided putting victims and their families through the ordeal of a trial while still locking in a decades-long prison sentence for Smith.
Sentence Details and What Comes Next
Smith’s sentence is what is known as a flat term. Under the agreement, she must serve every day of the 52-year prison term. Prosecutors say she will not be eligible for release before 2077 and, if she ever leaves prison, she would remain on lifetime sex-offender probation, according to WKRC.
The Yavapai County Attorney’s Office said the case began with the tip to law enforcement and that the digital evidence uncovered by investigators formed the backbone of the charges.
Legal Notes
The counts covered in Smith’s plea include sexual assault of a child, attempted sexual exploitation and a single bestiality offense. The Yavapai County Attorney’s Office describes the case as especially disturbing and says the plea was crafted to secure an extended, no-early-release sentence, according to the Yavapai County Attorney’s Office.
Prosecutors said Smith was credited with roughly 10 months already served. They also emphasized that the handling of the case was designed to limit further trauma to the victims while still ensuring Smith is effectively removed from the community for decades.
