An Arizona woman will reportedly spend more than five decades in prison after pleading guilty to sexually assaulting a toddler she was babysitting and engaging in sexual acts with a service dog, the Yavapai County Attorney’s Office announced Friday.
Kelly Rae Smith, 45, was sentenced Wednesday by Yavapai County Superior Court Judge Krista Carman to 52 years in prison. Under the terms of her plea agreement, Smith must serve the full sentence and will not be eligible for release until 2077, when she would be in her 90s. Upon any release, she would be placed on lifetime sex offender probation.
The Prescott Valley Police Department opened an investigation into Smith in April 2024 after receiving a tip from an acquaintance who told police Smith had made online comments about molesting children in her care. The tipster also reported witnessing a video of Smith engaging in sexual acts with a service dog belonging to a family member.
Investigators subsequently uncovered videos of Smith sexually assaulting the toddler and engaging in acts with the dog. Authorities also discovered additional child sexual abuse videos and chat room posts in which Smith described fantasies involving sex crimes against children.
Smith was arrested in May 2025 and later pleaded guilty to four counts of sexual assault against a child, three counts of attempted sexual exploitation of a child, and one count of bestiality.
Yavapai County Attorney Dennis McGrane called the case “shocking” and said it underscores the need for capital punishment as a sentencing option in child sexual assault cases.
“I hope this case motivates the Arizona Legislature to allow juries to impose the death penalty in cases where an adult sexually assaults a child,” McGrane said in a statement. “Doing so would allow appropriate punishment for anyone who chooses to rape a child and will deter others from committing these heinous crimes.”
