Dacono man sentenced to 122 years

A Dacono man convicted of imprisoning and repeatedly sexually assaulting a child has been sentenced to 122 years in prison.

Dante Larks, 43, was found guilty in April of charges including sexual assault with a deadly weapon, child abuse causing serious bodily injury, and two counts of sex assault on a child — position of trust and pattern of abuse.

On Monday a judge sentenced Larks to 122 years in prison, according to a release from the Weld County District Attorney’s Office. The maximum possible sentence for all the counts was 142 years.

“This man is an absolute monster who deserves to spend every second, of every minute, of every hour, of every single day behind bars for the rest of his natural life for his (egregious) and horrific behavior,” said Weld Deputy District Attorney Arynn Clark in a statement.

According to prosecutors, the Weld District Attorney’s Office began investigating Larks for child abuse and child sex assault allegations in 2019. Investigation revealed that the victim was verbally, physically, emotionally and sexually abused by the defendant.

The victim told investigators Larks would lock them in an unfinished basement many nights over a period of several months. The child wasn’t allowed out of the basement except for a few hours a day, and at times had to go to the bathroom in a bucket.

The child also reported that Larks would throw peanuts down the stairs for food, and would sexually assault them while armed with a gun.

I still struggle with the sound of footsteps above me because I hear him pacing on the floorboards and wonder if tonight is the night he’ll be coming down the stairs,” the victim said during Monday’s sentencing hearing, according to the release.