PROVO -- Maria Suarez wishes she had told somebody a man had sexually abused her when she was 6 years old.
But 35 years later, she is glad to be able to look convicted child sex abuser Arvid Oakley in the eye and testify against him.Oakley, 54, was found guilty in September of sexually abusing a 4-year-old neighbor girl in his home two years ago. Prosecutors accused him of setting up a free day care, Superkids of America Inc. in Springville, as a ruse to create opportunities to see young girls naked and touch them.
A trembling and tearful Suarez testified at Oakley's sentencing hearing Thursday. The sentencing, however, was delayed until next week.
"It's time. Other children don't deserve to go through what I did," she said.
Suarez, at the request of Utah County Attorney Kay Bryson, testified Oakley sexually abused her several times while he was teaching her family on his LDS mission 35 years ago in Uruguay. She said he abused her at home and at church.
"I was petrified of him," she said.
Suarez did not tell anyone what was going on because she had been taught to respect adults, especially a man whom her parents trusted.
"I knew I had to obey," she said.
When she was 8 years old and after Oakley returned from his LDS mission, her family moved to Spanish Fork, where he lived. Her father eventually discovered what had happened to his daughter and forbid Oakley to see her. The family moved to Salt Lake City. Suarez and her seven children now live in Miami.
Two other parents testified that Oakley had abused their young daughters. One woman said her daughter told her he claimed to be an emergency medical technician or an Army doctor in order to examine her. A licensed clinical social worker testified that an 11-year-old intellectually disabled girl with whom she worked told her Oakley had also sexually abused her.
Under Superkids, Oakley took children camping, bowling, swimming and roller-skating and frequently invited them to sleepovers at his home. The young victim in the case in which Oakley is convicted told a social worker that Oakley fondled her after a bath.
Oakley was not sentenced. Defense attorney Victor Lawrence said he wanted more time to prepare because he did not receive Oakley's pre-sentence report until Tuesday. Sentencing is set for this coming Tuesday.
Lawrence also objected to the presentations of testimony about alleged victims. Prosecutor Sherry Ragan argued that the testimonies prove "the threat he is to society."
"All of these things are certainly relevant," she said.
Judge Anthony Schofield allowed the testimony.
Several members of Bikers Against Child Abuse attended the hearing and one, in tears, hugged Suarez after the hearing.
"We are so proud of you. You are doing so much for so many people," the woman said.