Dally Petty
A 27-year-old Lyon County man received consecutive life sentences Tuesday in District Court after pleading guilty to child lewdness and pornography charges.
Dally Ty Petty said he committed the crime physically — but not mentally or spiritually — and apologized to the victim and the victim’s parents who were not in court. He was also placed on lifetime supervision.
Petty’s case contained hundreds of disturbing pictures and videos of child pornography including a video of a 6-year old Fallon girl who was victimized. According to Churchill County Chief Deputy District Attorney Lane Mills, the girl thought she was playing will toys and not fulfilling an adult’s sexual desire.
Mills played a video of the child for the court, although Tenth Judicial District Court Judge Tom Stockard cleared the public and sheriff’s deputies from courtroom.
Petty’s attorney, Jesse Kalter, objected to the playing of the video since the evidence contained in the recording were only relevant to the Lyon County case, which had been dismissed as a result of the plea deal in Churchill County.
Stockard, though, overruled the objection and allowed the recording to be played, but sealed the video once the public returned to the courtroom.
Petty’s crime was discovered last year by his former girlfriend when she found a video on his phone. The woman called authorities in Fernley, who arrested Petty.
A search of his computer discovered 10 videos, 602 pictures and a file-sharing program, Mills said.
Mills railed hard against Petty for consecutive life sentences arguing he is a psychopath and will, without doubt, reoffend if ever released from prison.
Mills said the way Petty directed the girl in front of the camera, along with other aspects of the case, gave prosecutors reason to believe this was not the first time he had committed a crime of this nature.
“This man is a psychopath,” Mills said. “He is a danger to children and always will be. His statements don’t match the evidence.”
Kalter, meanwhile, told the court that while his client’s crimes are horrific and tragic, Petty should receive a concurrent sentence.
Kalter said his client’s service in the U.S. Army, honorable discharge, and minute criminal history allow for a concurrent sentence.
Petty’s mother, Zena Quillan, said her son’s mental downfall began when his grandfather died and within two weeks, Petty’s then-wife was killed in an accident. Quillan said within several weeks of the deaths, Petty was shipped off to boot camp in the U.S. Army, all while trying to raise his infant child whom he shared with his late wife.
Like her son, Quillan said the behavior does not match the personality she knows.
“Mentally, my son did not know he did this,” she said.
She then called out Mills for publicizing the case in the press. Mills curtly asked her whether her son molested a child, which she responded, “yes.”
Petty, though, read a statement at least two pages long saying he would rather die than molest a child again in an effort to receive a concurrent sentence.
“Not a single day has gone by where I haven’t felt remorse,” he said.