Ex-Primary teacher guilty of sex abuse

OGDEN — An eight-person jury found Aaron Marcos Montoya guilty Wednesday of four counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a child to conclude a three-day trial where the children testified they were abused in their church Primary class.

The former Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office employee was taken into custody after the four men and four women returned the guilty verdict. Montoya now faces a five years to life prison sentence, which is standard for a first-degree felony conviction.

Second District Judge Thomas Kay scheduled a sentencing on Sept. 26 after Montoya's wife, Angela, stood and asked the judge to change an earlier date so the sentencing wouldn't take place on their son's birthday.

Meanwhile, sobs and gasps came from Montoya's family members after the verdict was read.

Parents of the three girls who said Montoya, 33, sexually abused them when he was their Primary teacher stood together in the courthouse after the trial to say their daughters were vindicated. One of the girls is 6 years old and two are 7 years old.

"They told the truth. They're heroes," one father said.

Another father said a burden was lifted off his daughter after she testified against Montoya.

He also said parents need to have a tough talk with their children to teach them the difference between a good touch and a bad touch.

"It's not OK for anyone else to touch them," he said.

Syracuse detective Sgt. Mark Sessions said his department is glad this trial is over.

"Justice has been served," he said.

Montoya's attorney, Ed Brass, said the testimony from the three children was probably what compelled the jury to render a guilty verdict.

"He's shocked and he's upset as you might expect," Brass said of Montoya.

Just before the jury in Montoya's case received their instructions to deliberate at 11:55 a.m., Brass moved for a dismissal of the charges — a motion Kay denied.

The four men and four women heard two days of testimony to review and thorough closing arguments from each side.

Prosecuting attorney Troy Rawlings told jurors they now know the children from Montoya's Primary class of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' Primary class — the class where three girls said Montoya had reached up their skirts and touched them.