PROVO — Two years in jail and five years of supervised probation are punishment enough to bring closure to two men who were sexually abused more than two decades ago by a male elementary school teacher.
Ben Newby, 54, pleaded guilty Thursday morning in 4th District Court to two second-degree felony charges of forcible sex abuse for inappropriately touching two male students between 1981 and 1984.
Newby taught at Meadow Elementary School in Lehi in the '80s and later taught in Colorado. His teaching license has since expired in Utah and been revoked by Colorado.
One of the victims, now in his early 30s, told Judge Gary Stott how the actions affected his life.
"Your honor, I have woken up every day for the last 24 years with this memory," the man said. "Today I've seen his face for the first time in a long time, and I'm just asking for justice."
Carefully addressing those old wounds, Stott talked at length with both victims to ensure they understood and accepted their deal.
"What you have in front of you brings closure for me," the first victim told Stott. "I can go on."
The man was referring to the deal arranged with the Utah County Attorney's Office and defense attorney Kenneth Brown, in which Newby agreed to plead guilty to two second-degree felonies, spend two years in the Utah County Jail and five years as a supervised probationer with Adult Probation and Parole. Newby will also have to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.
Newby will also not be permitted any good time while in the jail, nor will he be allowed a "review of case."
Attorneys often approach a judge after several months to report on their client's good behavior in jail and ask for a reconsideration of the sentence.
Newby was given a chance to speak and was told by Stott to turn and face his two victims.
"I'm sorry for anything that happened that ruined your life," he said. "I hope that somehow you can find closure so that you can move on. It's probably not enough to say that I'm really, really sorry."
The second victim said he initially didn't want to speak because of the rage inside him.
"The biggest thing is that he gets the help he needs so there's not a possibility he can do this to somebody else," the man said. "I think he's sick."
With the victims' understanding and approval of the deal, Stott sent Newby to jail immediately. He also informed the victims that if Newby violated any laws during his five-year probation he'd be looking at two terms of one to 15 years in prison — the sentence usually imposed for second-degree felonies.
"He has some real incentive to demonstrate to you and to himself that what he told you here in the courtroom (was) sincere," Stott said. "If he's not and it's just a matter of words and lip service, AP&P will find out fast."
E-mail: sisraelsen@desnews.com