Saturday, September 4, 2010
Man charged with forcible sex abuse for nurse groping pleads guilty, gets 6 months
A man accompanying his wife to a Utah hospital missed the birth of his child because he was being booked for fondling the nurse who took care of his baby's mother.
Adam Jay Manning was charged with forcible sex abuse, a Class 2 felony in Utah, for fondling and grabbing the nurse. The incident started at 3 AM October 9, when Manning brought a pregnant woman in labor to Mackay-Dee Hospital in Ogden, UT. Manning made a comment about how cute the nurse was, but the nurse ignored him, attending to the woman in labor.
Manning, according to Ogden police lieutenant Loren Draper, told the nurse that something was wrong with her neck, which was a pretense for him to grab her breast and fondle her neck. The nurse pushed Manning away, moved to the other side of the wheelchair, and reported the incident to police, leading to charges.
Manning pleaded guilty in February 2008 to shoplifting, a class B misdemeanor, and was sentenced to a year of probation that included classes at New Horizons, a mental health and substance abuse treatment center. In June, Manning pleaded guilty to criminal mischief, also a class B misdemeanor. He was sentenced to fines and a year of probation, which he allegedly violated -- a judge issued a warrant for his arrest Sept. 14, court records show.
Draper said it was unclear whether the woman Manning brought to the hospital was a girlfriend or wife, but one thing was abundantly clear - "Obviously, he wasn't there for the birth of the child."
(Update 9-4-10) Last month, Manning received 6 months in jail after pleading guilty June 15 to attempted forcible sex abuse. 2nd District Judge Scott Hadley sentenced Manning on August 10, 2010 to serve the term in the Weber County Jail, and ordered Manning undergo sex, mental health, and substance abuse counseling.
Defense attorney Randall Marshall argued that Manning's action was a rare situation accompanied by a blackout, which Manning is prone to suffer because of brain damage from a Jeep accident 10 years ago.
"He touched her over the clothing. There was no violence, no force," Marshall said. "That doesn't come close to some of the sexual offenses we see ... 180 days in jail seems a little heavy." Marshall asked for 120 days, noting Manning's lack of prior similar crimes, saying he touched the woman twice "and that was the end of it."
Arguing the other side of the same coin, Deputy Weber County Attorney Branden Miles said "precisely because there was a blackout, we don't know that it won't happen again. He continues to pose a danger until it's figured out."
One thing which won't be blacked out is Manning's listing in the sex offender registry.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Salt Lake City mom sentenced to jail for bashing estranged husband with hammer
Ricks was initially charged with attempted murder, a first-degree felony, for the May 4, 2007, attack that took place in her parents' Holladay condominium. The couple had gone out for dinner and returned to the condo where they started kissing.
Joel Ricks told police his wife then told him, "I've got a surprise for you." Amy Ricks blindfolded her husband, led him downstairs, spun him around in circles and told him to count to 100. After Joel Ricks was hit with the hammer, prosecutors said, he pulled off the blindfold, spotted sleeping bags, a knife and plastic bags nearby, and ran off to get help.
The perpetrator's attorney Susanne Gustin said her client is "a kind person, a smart person, a wonderful mother," Gustin said. "She's working full time and is the sole support of this family. She's not a danger to the community or anybody else. This happened because of mental pressure. She was a battered spouse."
Amy Ricks herself said I don't want to be separated from my children for any time, I am with them all the time," she said. "The last two years have been a nightmare for everyone. I'm sorry for it and I just want it to be over."
Prosecutor Tupakk Renteria disputed Amy's claim of abuse and said that even if it was the case, that doesn't excusing luring a victim down to a basement under false pretenses.
3rd District Judge William Barrett said that while the punishment for the attack needed to be severe enough to act as a deterrent, "Sometimes I hate this job.This was a tragic case and is a tragic case." Amy must report to jail on April 27. Her husband still has a no-contact order issued against her.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Utah teen sentenced to 3 to life for rape attempt on elderly woman
Potts came into the victim, his neighbor's home and started choking her. He took off her pajama bottoms and began to fondle her, but she had the presence of mind to shout "Jesus, Mary, and Joseph!" as part of a "death prayer." "Because of what you said, I can't do it," Potts said to the victim, and he called off the attack.
His attorney, Michael Misner, states that Potts will need alcohol addiction treatment while he's in prison, and that he only remembered flashbacks of the near rape because he was drunk during the incident.
The victim told Christiansen she is disappointed in prosecutors, who offered Potts a plea bargain. Potts was originally charged with first-degree felony aggravated sexual assault and second-degree felony burglary, which could have landed Potts a longer minimum sentence than the three years he received.
The burglary charge was dismissed and the aggravated sexual assault charge was changed to attempted aggravated sexual assault, but remained a first-degree felony.
The victim, who taught English at a Magna school for 15 years, said the assault took place just a few months after her husband died from throat cancer. Potts, who lived next door with his family, was one of few people who knew the victim lived alone, she said.
Nevertheless, Potts apologized, stating that "I would like to say how horrible I feel about what happened. It eats away at me every day." The woman stated that despite the fear that Potts will come back and try to kill her, "I have forgiven him and I hope he and his family will recover from whatever sickness holds this man," she said.
The sentencing judge was Judge Michele Christiansen of Utah's 3rd district.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Hurricane police officer charged with sexual assault on duty sentenced to 60 days jail, 3 years probation
Nathan Amosa, a 24 year old police officer from Hurricane, UT, was charged with coercing sex from a woman by threatening to cite her for child neglect to obtain sexual favors from his alleged victim. He was on call when he allegedly coerced her into letting him fondle her and perform a sex act.
"Amosa stated that he used his authority and the threat of a citation for child neglect in order to obtain sexual favors from the victim," Washington County sheriff's officials stated.
[He] was charged in 5th District Court in St. George on Monday with forcible sodomy, a first-degree felony; and two counts of second-degree felony forcible sex abuse. He is scheduled to appear in court Thursday.
Hurricane police received a complaint of officer misconduct on Friday, and Amosa was placed on administrative leave. The Washington County Sheriff's Office conducted a criminal investigation, and the case was forwarded to the county attorney's office.
(Update 8-12-09)
Amosa pleaded no contest to custodial sexual relations, a 3rd degree felony, today. Judge James Shumate of Utah's 5th District Court sentenced Amosa to up to 5 years in prison, the standard sentence for a 3rd degree felony. The sentence mandates that Amosa spend 60 days in the Washington County Jail and 3 years probation. Amosa was also ordered to stay away from the victim and not go within 500 yards of her or her residence.
Amosa was originally charged with forcible sodomy, a first-degree felony, and two counts of second degree-felony forcible sex abuse. He entered the no-contest plea after negotiations with prosecutors, his defense attorney and the victim.
According to the probable-cause statement filed with the charges, Amosa admitted to "coercing the victim into oral sex," and said he fondled her and put his mouth on her breasts. He "used his authority and the threat of a citation for child neglect" to gain the sexual favors, the document said.
The victim told investigators Amosa was at her house and on duty when she was assaulted.
The victim was "distraught" when she talked to investigators, telling them she thought she had to comply with Amosa because "he was in uniform and had a gun," according to court documents.
The victim, her father, and their lawyer, Brandon Simmons, appeared for sentencing. The victim's letter said in part, "I always trusted the police and their integrity, until he entered my home and took that trust away."
The victim's father said about the 60 day sentence, "I don't think he got what he deserved."
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Utah jail guard charged with sexually assaulting inmate
St. George Police Sgt. James Van Fleet said that the inmate was allowed to go home to wash jail uniforms as laundry, and that twice in August, the two women had sexual contact. The sexual relationship was believed to be consensual.
"It's because of her (Alldredge) status at the jail and because the inmate was an inmate of the county that makes the conduct illegal…If someone is on paper in the state of Utah, it's against the law for anyone employed by law enforcement to have a relationship with that person."
Another correctional employee reported it to Alldregdge’s boss, and she resigned during the midst of an internal investigation on August 22. The inmate was suspended from work release.
Van Fleet said the civilian staff members at the jail are extremely limited to what access they have in the facility, and it was a correctional officer who noticed that there might have been something going on between Alldredge and the inmate.
Sheriff Kirk Smith said the correctional officer confronted Alldredge and went to her supervisor in the chain of command.
"This kind of behavior will not be tolerated, and consequences will be swift," he said. "These types of things we teach and we preach not to do, but it still falls back on individual employees making good decisions."
Smith said he wants the jail employees to know he is proud of them for acting when they recognized the alleged relationship.
Alldredge will make her 1st court appearance September 22.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Provo, UT man sentenced for sex with disabled woman
A charge of first-degree felony rape was dismissed against Jessie Ervin Dodds as part of a plea deal, and the charge of attempted forcible sexual abuse was reduced from a second-degree to a third-degree felony. Dodds, 30, admitted after his June 1 arrest to having sexual intercourse with a woman who he said ''may not have been able to understand what was happening,'' according to a police affidavit.
Dodds, a longtime family friend, raped the woman May 30. He was on probation for 3rd degree felony forgery and theft, but the new charges will be served concurrently, not consecutively with the 0 to 5 year sentences for the other convictions reinstated due to the probation violation.
Jen Gonzales, Payton UT teacher, sentenced to 6 months jail, 3 years probation for sleeping with proctor son

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,
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."
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Female employee of halfway house gets off due to technicality
Ford allegedly had sex with a work release inmate from the Cornell Community Corrections Center in South Salt Lake in her apartment while she was off duty. She met the resident at a party in October 2006, a month before she was hired as a hall monitor at the facility. Sexual contact, which always occurred at Ford’s apartment, occurred twice, and led to a pregnancy.
Arguing against the dismissal, prosecutor Trina Higgins said the resident was allowed to bring alcohol into Cornell and hold parties there on Saturday nights during his relationship with Ford.
In addition, the resident tried to force Ford to have an abortion and claimed she wrote bogus disciplinary reports about him because she was jealous of his relationships with other women, Higgins said. A federal grand jury indicted Ford last September on a count of sexual misconduct with a ward in a federal institution.
In a motion to dismiss, defense attorney Edward Montgomery argued that Ford had the same status as any other citizen when she was off duty and did not have any custodial authority over the resident. In addition, he said the sex occurred outside the facility, which provides monitoring of pre-trial defendants and helps those who are finishing their sentences prepare to go back into society.
Melodie Rydalch, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's Office, said the office is reviewing Kimball's ruling.
The resident was sentenced to 46 months in prison for weapons charges. In other states, cases regarding teachers and students have withstood appeal, despite arguments that the teacher/student relationship ended when school ended.
Monday, December 24, 2007
Man tees of on wife, friend instead of golf ball; gets 4 months probation
The Salt Lake Tribune has more in "Plea deal in raging hot-tub attack with club":
Householder pleaded guilty to two lesser class A misdemeanor counts of attempted aggravated assault. The attack came just after midnight during the party on June 17, 2006, when Householder struck his wife multiple times in the head and face, and struck his friend in the head, arms and legs, according to police. When the head of the club broke off, Householder used the jagged end to stab the man, who suffered two puncture wounds, a concussion and a fractured pelvis. The woman was treated for facial injuries.
Householder's wife and (former, hopefully) friend approved the plea deal, and the wife is currently going to counseling with her husband. She also reports that her husband is getting his drinking under control. The plea deal requires 120 days of electronic monitoring, and an order to complete domestic battery and anger management counseling. Restitution for $25,000 may still be required for the ex-friend's injuries.
