A May trial date has been set for a former missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who is charged with three counts of second-degree felony forcible sexual abuse.
John Baysden, 21, of Kingston, N.C., is scheduled to stand trial before 2nd District Judge Pamela Heffernan on May 11-13. The criminal charges arose while Baysden was serving an LDS mission in Roy, which is part of the church's Utah Ogden Mission.
Court documents state that one female, age 15, told police she was staying overnight Jan. 8 at the Roy home of her aunt and her 18-year-old cousin, when she awoke early in the morning and found Baysden inappropriately touching her. Baysden also was staying overnight at the home.
Missionaries for the LDS Church are not permitted to sleep overnight at other homes unless there are special circumstances.
The girl also told police that Baysden had a video camera with him.
The aunt and cousin con- fronted Baysden, asked him to relinquish the camera and videotapes, and then asked him to leave the house, which he did. Baysden later told police he had stayed at the home six or more times during a six-week interval.
The three females watched the video and saw images of Baysden fondling the 15-year-old, as well as images of the 18-year-old being inappropriately touched, possibly on a different date, court documents state. They contacted police, and Baysden was arrested that day.
A law enforcement official who questioned Baysden said the ex-missionary admitted touching the 18-year-old and videotaping the incident while she slept and also touching her on another occasion that was not taped, court documents state. He also said he had touched the 15-year-old and filmed that incident, according to court documents.
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