A man who sexually abused an 8-year-old girl while serving a mission for the LDS Church was sentenced to a year in the Emery County jail Thursday.
Daniel Landeros, 22, pleaded guilty in February to a reduced charge of sexual abuse of a child, a second-degree felony. Prosecutors reduced the charges from rape of a child, a first-degree felony, in exchange for Landeros' plea.Under Utah law he could have been sentenced to up to 15 years in prison and fined $10,000.
Instead, Landeros was ordered to spend one year in jail, with credit for 18 of his 108 days already served while undergoing a presentencing evaluation. Landeros was also fined $1,850 and given three years probation. During that time he is not allowed to be alone with any female under the age of 18 or have any contact with the victim or her family.
"It's a good resolution," said defense attorney Bradley Rich. "There were some things in his case that just cry out for an alternative to prison."
According to Rich, Landeros had a hormonal imbalance that contributed to his behavior.
Attempts to reach prosecutor Mary Manley were unsuccessful.
Landeros must also enter a sex offender treatment program. Rich said it is still uncertain if Landeros will be treated in Utah or his home state of California. Landeros is from Exeter, a town in Southern California.
"I think he's doing well," Rich said. "He's made a lot of progress. He's a good kid. I think he's the kind of kid that given the proper medical and psychiatric treatment will do fine over the long haul."
The victim told police Landeros abused her in a church classroom on April 13, 1997. Landeros was serving a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Emery County at the time and was subsequently released from his mission by the church.