Porn indictment for Roosevelt man

A Roosevelt religious bookstore owner has been indicted by a federal grand jury on three counts related to child pornography.

According to an indictment unsealed Oct. 6, Brad R. Gale, 48, could face a minimum-mandatory prison term of 20 years and up to 60 years in federal prison if convicted. Gale was indicted on counts of production, distribution and possession of child pornography.

According to state charges filed earlier, Gale is accused of sexually abusing a 15-year-old boy in the back room of Gale's Office Supply and Books store, where he sells scriptures and books by LDS authors. Gale is also accused of offering to let other men have sex with the boy, including an alleged encounter at the Provo home of John West, 76, in the summer of 2005. Prosecutors say Gale bound the boy by his wrists and ankles, and sexually abused him while West watched.

Last month, an 8th District Court judge dismissed all but eight of 33 felony counts against Gale by request of prosecutors who anticipated federal charges would be filed. Prosecutors also said Gale turned over 25 Polaroid pictures of the victim, nude or in various stages of undress, to police. Those photos appear to form the basis of the federal charges.

Gale is expected to appear before a federal magistrate today to face the indictment. He currently is being held in the Utah County Jail on $25,000 cash-only bail.

Gale's case is linked to Duchesne County prosecutor Roland Uresk, who has been charged with two counts of failure to report abuse, a class B misdemeanor. The Utah Attorney General's Office had filed the charges against Uresk, alleging Uresk knew of Gale's sexual abuse but failed to prosecute.

Uresk, who is the Democratic candidate for Senate District 26, has pleaded not guilty to the charges and says they are politically motivated. Uresk said he did receive phone calls about the abuse but considered them "rumor." He is expected to appear in court next month.

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