Teacher convicted of molesting young students sentenced to prison

Frank Laine Hall, an award-winning elementary school teacher, has been sentenced to 15-years-to-life in prison for molesting children in his Riverton classroom.

Third District Judge Royal Hansen Thursday imposed a sentence of three-years-to-life for each of 10 counts of first-degree felony attempted aggravated sex abuse of a child. Hansen also sentenced Hall to one-to-15 years in prison for one count of second-degree felony sex abuse of a child.

The judge ordered that the prison terms for the first five counts run consecutively to each other, and the others will be concurrent.

The judge also recommended to the Board of Pardons that Hall get a mental health evaluation and sex abuse treatment; have no contact with victims, their family members or any minors; and register as a sex offender.

Hall, 37, was a first-grade teacher at Rosamond Elementary School who won the Huntsman Award for Excellence in Education in 2006 and received $10,000 as part of the prize.

Police said fears about Hall's behavior arose March 12, voiced by a worried parent, the Division of Child and Family Services and possibly school officials.

Hall immediately was taken out of the classroom and was arrested near his home March 15. Police said one pupil had witnessed Hall touching a child and told his parents.

As the investigation continued, the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office filed additional charges.

Hall at one point was charged with 16 counts of first-degree felony sex abuse of a child, but these were amended as part of the plea agreement, and five charges were dismissed.

Court documents state the molestation occurred sometime between July 1, 2006, and March 9, 2007.

Hall had pleaded guilty to the amended charges at a Sept. 20 hearing where he began weeping as he answered "guilty" as Hansen read each count aloud while Hall stood before the judge. At one point, Hall put his head down on the courtroom podium and sobbed, while his defense attorney put an arm on his shoulder.

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