BP agent arrested after 4-hour standoff near Sierra Vista, charged with sexually assaulting a minor

[Judi Lynn]

BP agent arrested after 4-hour standoff near Sierra Vista, charged with sexually assaulting a minor
Posted Apr 10, 2020, 11:21 pm



Cochise County Sheriff's Office

Dana Thornhill

Paul Ingram
TucsonSentinel.com

Sierra Vista police officers arrested a U.S. Border Patrol agent following a four-hour standoff at a church near Whetstone and charged him with two counts each of sexual conduct with a minor and sexual assault, authorities said.

Dana Ray Thornhill, 49, was under investigation by Sierra Vista police and agents from Homeland Security Investigations for what officials called "ongoing sexual abuse of multiple children."

While under surveillance, Thornhill fled Sierra Vista and went to the Lighthouse in the Desert Fellowship. Armed with a .40-caliber pistol—possibly the standard H&K P2000 pistol that Border Patrol agents carry on duty—Thornhill physically barricaded himself in a part of the church, authorities said.

Sierra Vista police's tactical unit took over the incident because of the "nature of the crimes, the fact the suspect had a law enforcement background, and that he was armed with a firearm," a spokesman said. Members of the unit saw Thornhill moving around inside the church and later learned that he had physically barricaded a portion of the church.

More:
http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/041020_bp_agent_arrested/bp-agent-arrested-after-4-hour-standoff-near-sierra-vista-charged-with-sexually-assaulting-minor/

[panader0]

1. Damn, that's close to home.

I live ten miles south of Sierra Vista, Whetstone is about ten miles north of S.V.
The CC Sheriff, Mark Dannels was my son's Little League coach.
No bail, I hope he has to serve many years, child molesters are not
much liked by other inmates.

[in2herbs]

2. Guess being inside a church wasn't any help to him. /s