Sodomy Grandparents Cut Leg As Incentive

Man sentenced for child-sex abuse
Others in family face a variety of sex charges including a number of incest allegations
The Salt Lake Tribune
08/17/2007 02:10:06 AM MDT

The patriarch of a Taylorsville family involved in three generations of incest and sexual abuse was sentenced Thursday to prison for up to 10 years. The 62-year-old man - whose name The Tribune is withholding to protect the identities of his grandchildren - had earlier pleaded guilty to four counts of third-degree felony sexual abuse of a child.

Third District Judge Robert Adkins ordered three of the terms to run concurrently and the fourth count to run consecutively.

The man pleaded guilty to abusing his own children, who are now adults, when they were children.

Three of those adult children - ages 31, 34, and 36 - were charged with sexually abusing their own children.

A 36-year-old son has pleaded no contest to third-degree felony incest and is set for sentencing on Aug. 28.

The man's 31-year-old sister has pleaded guilty to third-degree felony incest and is set for sentencing Oct. 9.

Another sister, age 34, is charged with two counts each of sodomy on a child and sexual abuse of a child, all first-degree felonies. A $25,000 arrest warrant was issued for her when she failed to appear for a March court hearing.

The 59-year-old matriarch of the family was acquitted by a jury in September of two counts each of sodomy on a child and aggravated sexual abuse of a child, all first-degree felonies.

Prosecutor William Kendall said the abuse surfaced when one of the children reported to school officials that he was cut on the leg as coercion to participate in sexual activities.

Charges were filed in February 2006. The children were reportedly removed from their homes and in some cases adopted by other families. - Stephen Hunt