Ryan Todd Nelson
A Topaz Ranch Estates man was sentenced to 8-20 years in prison by District Judge Tod Young on Monday afternoon.
Ryan Todd Nelson, 40, received the maximum sentence after he admitted to attempted sexual assault on a child.
“The victim impact statements were moving,” prosecutor Chelsea Mazza said on Wednesday.
Nelson still faces two counts of battery by a prisoner in custody, each of which could add another six years to his sentence.
“I made clear on the record at this sentencing that I am now free to pursue any charges I previously agreed to dismiss, given his new arrest violating our guilty plea agreement,” Mazza said.
Nelson is scheduled to appear in East Fork Justice Court on Wednesday afternoon in connection with those charges.
Nelson has been in custody since his July 12, 2023, arrest. He was scheduled for a weeklong trial starting on Jan. 6 but that was vacated as a result of the plea.
He was originally facing four counts of sexual assault of a child under the age of 14, two counts of lewdness with a child under the age of 14 and two counts of child abuse of a sexual nature.
Had he been convicted on the charges he could have faced four life sentences.
At his plea hearing, Nelson acknowledged that the state could have convicted him on the more serious offenses. As it was, the children were spared having to testify before a jury against him.
Nelson admitted to investigators he would walk nude into the girl’s room and into the shower.
According to court documents, the incidents took place between Dec. 5, 2017, and May 5, 2022.