Brighton man convicted of sexually abusing 9-year-old

A Brighton man is facing up to 25 years in prison for sexual abuse.

On Thursday, a Washington County jury found Dagger Erdman, 19, of Brighton guilty of sexual abuse in the second degree, a Class B felony.

On May 31, 2019, Erdman committed a sex act against a 9-year-old child in Washington County.

After the child disclosed the sexual abuse to their parents, the child was interviewed by the experts at the Child Protection Center and received the support of local advocate Deanna Hansen of the Rape Victim Advocacy Program.

The matter was investigated by the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, and Erdman was subsequently charged.

“I am so proud of the child and the child’s family for their courage,” Washington County Attorney John Gish said following the trial. “Sexual abuse, particularly when the victim is a child, is a crime that typically lacks any physical evidence. It comes down to whether a jury will believe the victim, and in this case, they did.

“This is an important verdict for this child, and considering how uncommon guilty verdicts are in cases of this nature, this is also an important verdict for all survivors of sexual abuse in Washington County.”

Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 1, where Erdman faces up to 25 years in prison.