Scott Crose "understands that his actions generated a great deal of fear on the part of the children and families" and "he is very remorseful," his attorney says.
Crose, 34, West Valley City, waived a preliminary hearing Thursday and will face arraignment Jan. 19 on six felony charges in connection with a string of abductions and sexual assaults on young girls in the Kearns area last year.Crose, accompanied by attorney Robert M. Archuleta, surrendered and confessed to Salt Lake County sheriff's detectives about 2:30 p.m. Wednesday. He appeared Thursday in 3rd Circuit Court.
Archuleta said Crose is expected to plead guilty to the charges and ask for a 90-day evaluation at the Utah State Prison prior to formal sentencing.
The charges filed with the court at Thursday's arraignment include first-degree felony attempted rape of a child and second-degree felonies of kidnapping and burglary stemming from a July 9 case involving a 12-year-old girl, and first-degree felony attempted aggravated kidnapping and second-degree felonies of forcible sexual abuse and burglary stemming from an Oct. 4 incident involving a 14-year-old girl.
Bail was set at $20,000 for each case, but Archuleta said it was unlikely that Crose could post the money.
"He's in the best place he can be," Archuleta said. "He's being kept at a mental health facility that is part of the Salt Lake County jail."
Archuleta said the state has agreed to recommend the minimum mandatory sentence of five years to life on the first degree felonies in return for the guilty pleas.
"My client was very candid and has made a full confession to the four incidents in the Kearns area," Archuleta said.
Archuleta said Crose hopes his candor and cooperation will garner support for his assignment to the sex offender program at the prison once his minimum mandatory sentence is complete. "He understands he has a problem and he wants to be rehabilitated."
Archuleta said Crose's decision to surrender and confess was prompted by the "overwhelming" evidence gathered by detectives. He said Crose was aware that he was a prime suspect and that his arrest was probable. Crose's realization that his behavior had escalated to acts of compulsion also was a factor in the decision.
Crose, who is currently unemployed, also confessed to a number of petty theft and vehicle burglary incidents in the Kearns area for which he will not be prosecuted. Archuleta said the thefts provided the divorced Crose with his primary means of support.
Crose, who has three children of his own, had become involved with window peeking and at least two of the victims in the child kidnappings were first observed in this manner, Archuleta said. It appears the other two victims were randomly selected. The four assaults followed long periods of drinking, Archuleta said.
Deputy County Attorney Tom Vuyk said the charges concern the two cases considered the strongest and that it would be redundant to file charges in the other two.
Crose was arrested and booked last October on an unrelated offense. No charges related to the assaults were filed then, but the Kearns residence where he had been staying was searched by detectives, who recovered clothing belonging to Crose. Fibers from his clothing and fibers recovered during the investigation of at least one of the abductions were sent to the FBI crime lab in Quantico, Va.
At that time, Crose was specifically investigated in connection with the Oct. 4 kidnapping of a 14-year-old girl, who lived across the street from Crose. She was asleep in her home, in the area of 4100 West and 5000 South, about 5:15 a.m. when an intruder entered her bedroom, according to an affidavit filed in 3rd Circuit Court with a search warrant.
Sheriff's Detective Lt. Syd Elliott said Crose made a statement to detectives Wednesday concerning that case and three similar incidents involving young girls that occurred in the same general area in April, July and September.
The detective said he believes the attacker did not stalk the homes, nor did he know his victims. He said the attacks were spontaneous and occurred in homes where he was able to find unlocked doors and windows.
"The victims were chosen at random, and access to the residents was very easy," Elliott said.
While detectives and prosecutors believe the surrender will resolve the four Kearns incidents, there are other similar cases still in question. At least three other sexual assaults involving young girls, ages 5, 7 and 9, were reported during May and June in Salt Lake City and West Valley City. In each case a man entered the home, abducted a sleeping child and then sexually abused or sexually assaulted her.
Salt Lake police say they have a different suspect in those cases. Bud Ellett, chief of the county attorney office's justice division, confirmed that Crose is not a suspect in the Salt Lake cases but did not rule out Crose as a suspect in the West Valley incident.
"This will take care of all of the incidents we've had reported in Kearns," Elliott said. "I think all of us have a great relief in knowing this case has finally come to a conclusion."