Fort Defiance man convicted of sexually abusing a child

PHOENIX — An Arizona man was sentenced to more than 15 years in prison last month for sexually abusing a minor, authorities said Thursday.

Leonard Thomas Stewart III, 24, was sentenced to 188 months in prison, followed by life probation, after pleading guilty to sexual abuse of a child on October 31, 2023.

Between October 3, 2017, and July 11, 2019, Stewart had multiple abusive sexual contact with minors, including one incident while the two were horseback riding at Fort Defiance.

Both Stewart and the victim are members of the Navajo Nation Indian Tribe and the sexual abuse took place on the Navajo Nation Indian Reservation.

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Navajo Nation Police Department.

Follow @KTAR923