From Deseret News archives:
Plea deal lets sexual abuser avoid prison
He assaulted 2 women he met on sites for LDS singles
Two cases were pending in 4th District Court against Kent Parkinson, 26, who also will be released from the Utah County Jail as a result of the agreement with government prosecutors.
In all, Parkinson faced five counts of forcible sex abuse, two counts of forcible sodomy, 10 counts of rape and one count of aggravated kidnapping.
Parkinson entered a no-contest plea on Wednesday to all charges and will have those pleas held in abeyance for three years while he completes a series of requirements.
After those three years, if Parkinson is successful, the charges will be dropped and the case dismissed. If not, Parkinson will return to 4th District Court for sentencing and the possibility of consecutive 5-to-life maximum prison sentences.
In the first case, according to prosecutors, Parkinson touched a woman's breasts and genitals against her will during an at-home movie date in October 2004.
The second case began in a similar fashion. Parkinson and a woman met online and organized a rendezvous at an Orem home in December 2005. That's where, the woman said, he raped her repeatedly for 10 hours.
"Sometimes we make compromises based on the needs of the victims," O'Bryant said. In many cases, the more trauma a victim has suffered, the more difficult it is for him or her to go through the court process, she said.
Debbie Hill, Parkinson's attorney, said she had been discussing a resolution with the prosecutors for several months.
"I'm very hopeful that Kent will do (well)," Hill said. "This gives him a future."
With the agreement, Parkinson can't violate any other laws, excluding minor traffic tickets. He must get a psycho-sexual evaluation and go to sex-offender treatment.
Also, every 90 days, he must also send performance reports to the Utah County Attorney's Office.
Parkinson cannot log onto Internet chat sites and must pay $1,000 in court fees.
With the plea, Parkinson gives up his right to a jury trial, which was scheduled to begin mid-October.
E-mail: sisraelsen@desnews.com
Comments
- Sports on the air 1:21 a.m.
- 2009 MLS Cup recap 12:45 a.m.
- MLS Cup winners, MVPs 12:41 a.m.
- Real Salt Lake: Game at a glance 12:36 a.m.
- Paper circulation worse than it looks 12:28 a.m.
- RSL wins MLS Cup on penalty kicks 12:22 a.m.
- Editorial: Cancer screening 12:15 a.m.
- Afterthoughts 12:15 a.m.
- Treat teachers with respect, trust 12:15 a.m.
- 'Reform' helps old, hurts young 12:15 a.m.
- BYU records with win
- Jazz outlast Pistons in overtime
- Glenn Beck to enter politics?
- Cougars turn focus to dreaded rivals
- Cougars put the fun back in football
- Former BYU professor remembered
- Florida No. 1, TCU 4 in AP Top 25
- Man dies after being run over
- Kirilenko heating up for the Jazz
- Police link alcohol to murder
- Buttars wants to limit gay rights laws
202 - Glenn Beck to enter politics?
191 - Palin plans tour stop in Utah
178 - RSL wins MLS Cup on penalty kicks
130 - BYU records with win
129 - Palin's book shows she's unqualified
125 - Officer cleared in Cardall Taser case
103 - BYU cuts Women's Research Inst.
100 - Jazz finally win in San Antonio
98 - Utes knock off rival Aggies
93
A little after midnight Wednesday morning, about 21 hours ago as I write...
There's a lot of reason to leave your plastic home as you shop:
That game was amazing! I think this will really help the sport grow in Utah....
Congrats on a great win. Utah as a whole should be proud not just of a major...
Congrats Real Salt Lake! but, they aren't the first major sports team to...
I told ALL of you how much i liked NED Pure irony his contributions vs x...
this is to NevadaUTE @ 10:25!!! I love soccer, I love Real and it brought a...
wow!!! amazing. UTAH JAZZ DO SOMETHING!!!
So much fear and anger from Beck lovers. You all lost the last election, we...
This is the most emotion I have had watching a sporting event since my...
Nicky Rimando is my hero! I love that guy. He has had his detractors, but...
Two stars means nothing! We played as a team and it showed! I'm still in...



You can be the first to comment on this story.