Jennifer Gonzalez of Payson, UT was sentenced yesterday to 6 months in jail and 3 years probation for the seduction of a 16 year old boy that she was supposed to mentor as her proctor son. (A proctor son in Utah is like a foster son elsewhere, except the proctor child is intended to be reunited with their original family.) Judge Samuel McVey, who presided over the case, also ordered her to complete a sex offender treatment program and pay a $975 fine and possible restitution for counseling.
She was arrested after her husband Richard came home from work and found her and the boy with candles and oils, both with their pants down. The teen ran into the bathroom with his pants down and Jenn who was topless, pulled her pants up.
Richard pulled out a 9 mm handgun at both parties, threatening to kill Jenn and ordering the teen out of the house. For that, he was sentenced last month to 18 months of probation for threatening or using a dangerous weapon in a fight. The couple filed for divorce in May. Jenn pleaded guilty to 2 counts of attempted criminal forcible sexual abuse, a 3rd degree Utah felony on June 4. (Jen's original charges were 2 counts of criminal forcible sexual abuse, a 2nd degree felony). Richard pleaded no contest on June 14 to his charges and served 20 days in jail.
Judge Samuel McVey heard arguments from deputy county attorney Mariane O'Bryant why Utah's Adult Probation and Parole's recommendation of jail time should be followed. The argument was that Jenn was in a position of trust, and that he believed he was in love with the teacher.
"This individual, as well as many of our teenage victims, thought that he was in love with this individual... and frankly did not disclose to us everything that happened until it was clear there was no relationship." Prosecutors were told about sexual contact which was more frequent than stated in his initial statement.
The mother and grandmother of the boy urged Judge McVey to jail Jenn, stating,
She was arrested after her husband Richard came home from work and found her and the boy with candles and oils, both with their pants down. The teen ran into the bathroom with his pants down and Jenn who was topless, pulled her pants up.
Richard pulled out a 9 mm handgun at both parties, threatening to kill Jenn and ordering the teen out of the house. For that, he was sentenced last month to 18 months of probation for threatening or using a dangerous weapon in a fight. The couple filed for divorce in May. Jenn pleaded guilty to 2 counts of attempted criminal forcible sexual abuse, a 3rd degree Utah felony on June 4. (Jen's original charges were 2 counts of criminal forcible sexual abuse, a 2nd degree felony). Richard pleaded no contest on June 14 to his charges and served 20 days in jail.
Judge Samuel McVey heard arguments from deputy county attorney Mariane O'Bryant why Utah's Adult Probation and Parole's recommendation of jail time should be followed. The argument was that Jenn was in a position of trust, and that he believed he was in love with the teacher.
"This individual, as well as many of our teenage victims, thought that he was in love with this individual... and frankly did not disclose to us everything that happened until it was clear there was no relationship." Prosecutors were told about sexual contact which was more frequent than stated in his initial statement.
The mother and grandmother of the boy urged Judge McVey to jail Jenn, stating,
"Jenn, the day you first took [my grandson] home from the detention center I gave you one of my most precious possessions...He needed someone to love him and take care of him, but instead of being a parent for him you took this time to work on him so you could satisfy your own sexual urges and make yourself happy at his expense. He trusted you. We all trusted you. We asked him to care for him as a mother, not a lover."
Defense attorney Mike Esplin said that Jen Gonzales was in sex offender treatment since her arrest, and that she needed probation with GPS to keep the 2 jobs she had been working since she was fired from her position as a teacher at Mt. Nebo Junior High School. She taught 6th and 7th graders with behavioral problems at the Cornerstone Unit, an alternative program.
McVey, in sentencing, denied Esplin's request, stating that Jen's position of trust, as well as the 15 year age difference, meant that "regardless of whether he, as a matter of fact, consented to this, as a matter of law he was incapable of consenting....You were in a position of responsibility, entrusted by the state of Utah and society in general to provide appropriate supervision for this minor- That obviously did not happen."
Defense attorney Mike Esplin said that Jen Gonzales was in sex offender treatment since her arrest, and that she needed probation with GPS to keep the 2 jobs she had been working since she was fired from her position as a teacher at Mt. Nebo Junior High School. She taught 6th and 7th graders with behavioral problems at the Cornerstone Unit, an alternative program.
McVey, in sentencing, denied Esplin's request, stating that Jen's position of trust, as well as the 15 year age difference, meant that "regardless of whether he, as a matter of fact, consented to this, as a matter of law he was incapable of consenting....You were in a position of responsibility, entrusted by the state of Utah and society in general to provide appropriate supervision for this minor- That obviously did not happen."
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