Man pleads guilty in teen's overdose death

FARMINGTON — Walter Andrew White, 39, the convicted sex offender prosecutors say supplied a teenage girl with pills that caused her to fatally overdose, admitted to a judge Thursday that he did cause the girl's death.

White pleaded guilty as part of a plea bargain to second-degree felony child abuse homicide for giving 16-year-old Samantha Mikesell some of his anti-depressant medication. A toxicology report showed Mikesell had seven times the legal dose of the drug, imipramine, in her system.

White also admitted to 2nd District Judge Darwin Hansen that he was guilty of unlawful sexual conduct with a 16- or 17-year-old, dealing in material harmful to a minor, and obstruction of justice, all third-degree felonies.

Prosecutors recommend that White face 20 years in prison.

As part of the plea agreement, felony charges of unlawful sexual activity with a minor and desecration of a dead human body were dismissed.

Prosecutor Troy Rawlings said outside the courtroom that he was pleased with the case's outcome, as are Mikesell's parents.

Getting a first-degree felony conviction would have been difficult, since there were only two people involved in the activities that took place in Mueller Park Canyon in July, and one person now is dead.

Rawlings said his office is seeking to get the 20-year prison term by trying to persuade the judge to run the three third-degree felonies run concurrently with one another, but consecutively with the second-degree felony.

"He does deserve a long stay in the Utah State Prison," Rawlings said. "This child is getting justice and her family is getting justice to the degree that the law allows."

The sentencing is up to the judge, who ordered a pre-sentence report, and also the state Board of Pardons, but Rawlings said this is a good outcome for the victims.

"Samantha's mother gave me the thumbs-up sign in court," he said. "She is very pleased."

The girl's father, Craig Mikesell, said he wished White could get the death penalty, but praised Rawlings for getting the toughest resolution the law and the circumstances of the case would permit.

Mikesell also blasted White for not appearing to show any remorse. "He won't even turn and look me in the eye," Mikesell said.

Earlier, Mikesell said he hoped White has a tough time in prison and also stated, "He'll get his in the afterlife."

Prosecutors claimed in court documents that White had engaged in sexual activity with Samantha Mikesell starting when she was 15, showed her pornography, made plans for them to commit suicide together, and on July 5, took her to the mountains and gave her the pills. He took some himself and was found by a police officer two days later while wandering around in the area in some thick brush.

White is being held in the Davis County Jail. His sentencing is set for Dec. 14.

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E-mail: lindat@desnews.com