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Man Who Fancies Himself A ‘Sovereign Citizen’ Had Sex With Daughter’s 15-Year-Old Babysitter, Cops Say
Joseph Sisemore of Chandler, Arizona was arrested leaving a drug store where he allegedly bought the '"morning-after pill" for his victim.
An Arizona man who reportedly considers himself a “sovereign citizen” is accused having sex with a 15-year-old girl he'd hired to babysit his daughter.
Joseph Peter Sisemore, 41, has been arrested and charged with multiple counts of sexual conduct with a minor, according to the Chandler Police Department. Police nabbed him as he was walking out of a drug store after allegedly buying the "morning-after pill" for the victim.
Her parents reportedly notified police of the alleged abuse, after their daughter recorded at least one phone call with Sisemore in which he allegedly admitted to having sex with her, according to Arizona Family. That recorded conversation was sent to police, which in turn led to the arrest.
His first sexual act with that girl allegedly took place in November, and since then about 20 sexual encounters have occurred, police say.
“Along with performing oral sex and digital penetration on the child, Sisemore is also alleged to have had the girl perform oral sex on him,” police wrote.
Investigators believe that all the acts took place at Sisemore’s home in Chandler.
“There was probably some grooming going on,” Chandler Police Detective Seth Tyler told the New York Post.
He allegedly also asked the victim to “wear some of his clothes as pajamas” so he could smell her later, according to an affidavit cited by the Post.
Court paperwork cited by Arizona Family reveals that the suspect appears to believe he is a sovereign citizen. Sovereign citizens, according to the FBI, are anti-government extremists who consider themselves not subject to U.S. laws, particularly taxes. It’s not clear if Sisemore has an attorney that can speak on his behalf at this time. He is being held on a $100,000 cash bond.
Sisemore spoke during his arraignment, reported by local outlet News 12. He touched his face as the judge described the alleged sexual abuse. He also told the judge he was under the impression there was only one count when he was arrested.
“Well, there’s not,” she replied. “There’s 12 counts.”
He also said he has no way of getting any bond “whatsoever.”
“I have no family here,” he said.
The judge did not seem impressed, and instead repeated his bond amount. There is some discrepancy about the age of Sisemore’s daughter. The judge said his daughter was 8 but police have described her as being 10.
Sisemore has a preliminary hearing scheduled for Feb. 22.
