PINAL COUNTY, Ariz. — A convicted sex offender "survivalist" who spent 107 days hiding in the desert was sentenced to over two decades in prison last week, the Pinal County Sheriff's Office said.
David Whitaker of Red Rock accepted a plea deal for the sexual abuse charges and was sentenced to 25 years in prison with 310 days credited for time served since his arrest in March 2021.
Whitaker, 42, was reported to the sheriff's office in November 2020 for having sexual contact with a 13-year-old girl.
Whitaker fled his home and went to the desert with a handgun before police could apprehend him. Officials said Whitaker was a known survivalist and had a high likelihood of living "off the grid."
He was eventually found and arrested on March 15, 2021. Police said Whitaker lived in a shack he made with a bed and roof and survived by catching fish and hunting javelinas and rabbits.
"To those who commit crimes and believe the repercussions can be avoided, as your Sheriff, know [that] we will not give up on bringing you to justice," said Pinal County sheriff Mark Lamb.
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