A Draper man charged with engaging in sex acts with a 12-year-old more than 100 times in exchange for cocaine pleaded guilty to a reduced charge Monday.
Wesley C. Anderson, 56, was charged with six first-degree felonies of rape and sodomy upon a child. He pleaded guilty Monday to one reduced count of attempted sodomy on a child, a second-degree felony.But whether he will serve any prison or jail time is still up in the air.
The girl, now 14, told investigators she met Anderson when she was 12 and performed sex acts on him in exchange for "hits" on a cocaine pipe. The sexual acts occurred at various motels throughout the valley and at Anderson's Draper home, according to sheriff's reports and court documents.
Charges state the sodomy occurred at least 100 times during a 16-month period and she had sexual intercourse with him at least 20 times during a 13-month period. The victim, who was a runaway, and her boyfriend apparently lived with Anderson at various times.
"I know she wasn't a daily cocaine user, but after she met Wes Anderson she did become a daily cocaine user," said Salt Lake County Sheriff's Sgt. Leslee Collins.
The sergeant said the case "ranks up in the top 20 percent" of the most grievous cases she has investigated during her nine years' work in the sex crimes area.
As part of the plea bargain discussed in October, prosecutors agreed to recommend that Anderson not be incarcerated for the crimes but instead receive probation. Anderson would agree to re-enter therapy and pay restitution for the victim's therapy.
Defense attorney Ron Yengich earlier said that the plea was conditional and argued that if 3rd District Judge Michael Murphy did not follow the prosecution's recommendations when he sentenced Anderson, Anderson could withdraw his guilty plea.
Monday, however, Yengich and prosecutor Greg Skordas said the plea agreement is not premised on a prosecution recommendation.
Skordas said his sentencing recommendation will be based on the results of a report by Adult Probation and Parole that was ordered Monday. But Skordas also said that he has not withdrawn the original agreement to recommend probation and said that could still be his recommendation.
Skordas said he agreed to the plea bargain at least partly because of some contradictory testimony from witnesses.
The girl's mother said the court process has frustrated her and her daughter and she questions whether the system is fair.
"I don't know what to think of the whole thing," she told the Deseret News. "The whole thing upsets me but I just don't want to put my daughter through it any more."
Monday, however, the mother told the judge she agrees with the terms of the plea bargain. Yengich said he has met with the victim's family several times to make sure they understand the proceedings and accept the plea bargain.
Anderson was ordered to return to court Jan. 10 to be sentenced.