By Tracie Sullivan, Iron County Today
Updated March 8 at 11:20 AM
A 5th District Court judge sentenced a man staying in Cedar City to prison last week after he pleaded guilty to aggravated assault in a violent incident that left the victim unconscious.
Judge Matthew Bell sentenced Joshua Leamon Jr. Tinkler, 28, to up to five years in the Utah State Prison on Wednesday after he pleaded guilty to a third-degree felony charge of aggravated assault producing loss of consciousness. Bell ordered Tinkler to be transported immediately.
The case stems from an attack that occurred Dec. 21, 2024, when Cedar City police responded to a call at a local hotel. According to the probable cause statement, the victim called 911 but struggled to speak clearly as she was being attacked.
When officers arrived, they found her with visible injuries, including signs of strangulation around her neck and contusions on her face and head.
The victim told police that when she first tried to dial 911, she was in a vehicle with Tinkler, who choked her to stop her from calling for help. He then choked her in the hotel, leaving her unresponsive.
Tinkler, who was intoxicated at the time, was uncooperative with police. Officers noted injuries on his knuckles and hands consistent with striking a hard object. When questioned about the assault, he did not provide a direct response, instead claiming the victim had been attacking him.
“What was I supposed to do when I was being struck as well?” he said.
The victim had to be hospitalized as a result of the incident, the affidavit stated.
Police arrested Tinkler and booked him into the Iron County Jail on multiple charges including aggravated assault, intoxication, disorderly conduct and damage to a communication device. Under the terms of a plea agreement, prosecutors pursued only the aggravated assault charge, reducing it from a second-degree felony to a third-degree felony. Tinkler entered his guilty plea Jan. 22.
As part of his sentencing, Bell also ordered the defendant to receive domestic violence and mental health treatment while incarcerated.
Tinkler has a history of domestic violence offenses, including prior assaults for which he was still on probation. His new charges also violated protective orders against previous victims, according to court records. Prosecutors cited this pattern of behavior as a key reason for seeking a prison sentence.
Iron County Attorney Chad Dotson emphasized the importance of holding repeat offenders accountable.
“Domestic violence is a serious crime that has lasting effects on victims and their families,” Dotson said. “We will continue to prosecute offenders to the fullest extent of the law to protect victims and prevent further harm.”
1 comment
Vanessa
As the mother of this man’s children and one of his many previous victims, I feel like he should serve the whole 5 years… Being chased by him with knives in front of my children& the cedar city police not arresting him and making me go to a domestic violence shelter WITHOUT my children was the most traumatic experience I ever had to deal with… I later gained a protection order that included our children. But. Cedar city needs to do better…