Utah County man to get treatment, avoid prison

PROVO — When 21-year-old Forrest Barth walked into court Tuesday morning, he was steps away from prison.

The young man had — after being mistakenly let out of the Utah County Jail last May — returned a day later to his presumed girlfriend's house and climbed in her bedroom window as she slept. High on ketamine, he then got undressed and climbed on top of her.

It was traumatic, and the 17-year-old girl has suffered. But her mother told the court she didn't want vengeance.

"I just think prison is too harsh," she told Judge Claudia Laycock. "I ask you not to go down that road." She's not named because the Deseret Morning News doesn't identify victims of sexual crimes directly or through relatives.

It was that quiet, tearful request for mercy, as well as the impassioned pleas of Barth's father and the arguments of Barth's attorney, that changed the judge's mind.

"Mr. Barth, I came in here prepared to send you to prison," Laycock said. "And now I'm not going to."

Instead, she sentenced the young man to a full year in jail — part of which he has already served — and required that he complete a lengthy inpatient sexual treatment program and substance-abuse treatment classes.

In August, Barth pleaded guilty to felony attempted aggravated burglary and misdemeanors of possession of a controlled substance and attempted unlawful sexual activity with a 16- or 17-year-old, and in October was sent to the diagnostic unit of the Utah State Prison for further tests.

Future treatment will enable Barth to achieve his goals while still protecting her daughter from future contact, the mother said, which she added is what she felt was best.

Barth's father, Michael Barth, said he had seen incredible changes in his son and his growing ability to communicate — a far cry from his former computer video game and drug addictions.

"We are reconnecting with the Forrest we all know and love," Michael Barth said. "He has reconnected with himself, who he really is."

Barth told Laycock he had learned about the error of his super optimism — thinking everything would work out his way without considering consequences.

Prosecutor Randy Kennard also agreed that prison was not the best option.