A Salt Lake man faces two life prison terms on charges he sexually assaulted and raped a 14-year-old girl in 1987 in Clearfield. John M. Scriven, 30, has pleaded not guilty to the two charges in 2nd District Court.
Scriven is charged with aggravated sexual abuse of a child and rape of a child, both first-degree felonies that carry prison terms of five years to life.Scriven pleaded not guilty to the two charges, and his attorney, Stephen Oda, told Judge Rodney S. Page that the age of the victim is in question. Scriven maintains the girl was older than 14 when the incidents took place in February 1987 in Clearfield.
The judge agreed to set a hearing to determine the girl's age if Oda requests it.
The judge also set an April 25 trial date.
According to court records, Scriven is accused of binding, gagging and sexually assaulting the victim on one occasion in a Clearfield apartment and raped her in a second incident.