LOGAN -- John Jeppson, a Cache County man convicted of terrorizing teenagers and young adults in Logan Canyon, has been sentenced to six months in jail.
Jeppson was sentenced Monday by 1st District Court Judge Clint Judkins.Judkins' courtroom was crowded with victims and their families, and Cache County Attorney Scott Wyatt asked the judge to consider their plea for a stiff sentence.
"Some of the youth are still in counseling over what happened that night. They came up against assaults, threats and human indignities," Wyatt said.
When 30 young people went to the supposedly haunted St. Anne's retreat for a Halloween scare in October 1997, Jeppson and two other men handcuffed and tied them together by their necks. They were forced into an empty swimming pool and held at gunpoint while deputies were called.
At the time, the men were serving as caretakers on the property.
During the hearing, a penitent Jeppson stood in chains before the court and apologized to his victims and their families.
"I hurt them, and I am sorry," Jeppson said. "I stepped clear out of bounds."
The irony of Jeppson's bondage was not lost on Judkins as he passed sentence.
"Mr. Jeppson is here in apology, which must be humiliating to him," Judkins told the gathered spectators and victims. "He comes in chains, just as you were that night."
Judkins said he saw a change in Jeppson but would still impose additional jail time.
Jeppson's attorney, Greg Skordas of Salt Lake, argued Jeppson should serve no more time than the 90 days he already spent at the Utah State Prison undergoing a diagnostic evaluation.
"The court is encouraged by your demeanor, but the abuse was totally out of line and the punishment must reflect that," Judkins said. "The victims here demand a punishment, Mr. Jeppson."
Jeppson pleaded guilty in June to two counts of aggravated assault, third-degree felonies. He was originally charged with four counts of attempted aggravated assault, two counts of aggravated assault and one count of forcible sexual abuse for allegedly fondling the breast of a 16-year-old girl in the group.
Judkins said Jeppson will be eligible for work and counseling release programs after three months. Jeppson also was ordered to pay $3,398 in fines and restitution and to complete anger management counseling at his own expense.
Jeppson's accomplices, Christopher Doerr and Arthur Peasnall, were sentenced in August to 90 days in the Cache County Jail. Peasnall and Doerr were also ordered pay fines and restitution totaling nearly $3,000. Jenkins ordered them each to enter into mental health counseling following the completion of their jail time.