W. Valley woman faces 26 felony charges in sex-with-teen case

SALT LAKE CITY — The woman's alleged victim took the stand shyly.

He looked uncomfortable, but he was affable and eloquent, deferring to the judge for guidance as he outlined a sexual relationship with a woman almost three times his age that lasted from the time he was 12 years old until he was 16.

Adorabelle Bonifacio, 46, of West Valley City, was originally charged in 3rd District Court with rape of a child and sodomy upon a child, first-degree felonies; and unlawful sexual activity with a minor and unlawful sexual conduct with a 16-year-old, third-degree felonies.

Judge William Barrett on Monday ordered her to stand trial on 26 felonies, including five counts of rape of a child, five counts of sodomy of a child and five counts of forcible sodomy, all first-degree felonies; and five counts of unlawful sexual activity with a minor, five counts of unlawful sexual conduct with a 16-year-old and one count of dealing harmful materials to a minor, all third-degree felonies.

She originally had faced only four charges, but prosecutors filed 22 more on Monday.

The boy, now 17, said he had known Bonifacio since he was about 4 years old. He was a friend of her son and often spent the night at their home.

"I would spend any second I could at that house," he testified. "They had better game systems. I was a poor, ghetto kid from Magna. And as an added bonus, I would have sex with the defendant." He said the relationship turned sexual just before his 13th birthday, and he estimated that he spent as many as 75 percent to 80 percent of his nights during various summers at Bonifacio's home.

He said her husband was often away, and even when he wasn't, it didn't prevent anything. The teenager said all of the sexual activity took place "all the time after midnight," when the woman's mother, children and husband would be sleeping. He said the sexual activity stopped in April 2009, when he was 16. Police said investigators started looking into the alleged abuse after several people believed something was going on, stepped forward and called police. Police indicated that Bonifacio was not cooperative in the investigation.

Bonifacio has an arraignment hearing scheduled for Aug. 30.

e-mail: emorgan@desnews.com