Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office

Nathan Sutherland

A former nurse who pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting an incapacitated woman who later gave birth has been sentenced to a decade in prison.

Nathan Sutherland’s victim was a patient at Hacienda HealthCare in Phoenix.

Maricopa County Attorney Allister Adel called Sutherland’s 10-year prison sentence just, appropriate and the most time allowed by the agreement he made with prosecutors.

Adel said in a prepared statement that when Sutherland leaves prison, he’ll go on lifetime probation and have to register as a sex offender.

The woman Sutherland sexually assaulted has a brain disorder and no functional use of her limbs. She lived at Hacienda HealthCare for 26 years. Staff noticed she was in labor in December 2018.

Investigators said Sutherland’s DNA matches a sample taken from the woman’s son.

Associated Press contributed this report.