Woman who made and distributed bestiality flier sentenced to jail

SALT LAKE CITY — Though Danette Stark's attorney said he didn't want to explain in a public courtroom what prompted his client to circulate digitally altered photos of a 13-year-old girl committing an act of bestiality at the girl's Salt Lake middle school, it was clear the woman's victim still cares for her.

"I love her and her daughter, but I don't want her to hurt anyone else," the tearful girl told 3rd District Judge Royal Hansen on Monday.

Stark, 37, pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual exploitation of a minor in July for distributing a number of fliers to lockers and a restroom at the school. She was sentenced Monday to one to 15 years in prison on each count, but the judge suspended the prison time. Instead, he ordered her to serve a year in jail — with credit for the 81 days Stark has already spent behind bars — and three years probation.

He also ordered that the woman pay a fine of $1,070 and participate in anger management, parenting and "thinking-errors" classes. Additional restitution may be imposed at a later date.

Stark broke down and cried as she apologized for her actions in court.

"I'd like to say I'm really sorry to the family for my behavior and my actions," she said. "I know I can't take it back, but I want them to know how sorry I am."

Stark's daughter and the victim were apparently good friends, but the victim's mother said previously that she discovered late-night "adult" chats on Facebook between Stark and her daughter and asked Stark to stop.

She said she had only met Stark three times prior to that confrontation and the relationship apparently devolved into arguments, angry text messages and obscene gestures between the two.

"She had no right to take this out on my daughter," the victim's mother, who was only identified as Rebecca, told the judge. She said that her daughter has lost weight, no longer eats and has a hard time sleeping.

"She cries a lot," Rebecca said. "I have spent night after night telling my daughter this isn't her fault. I just want my baby protected."

Stark's attorney, Gregory Smith, asked that the judge impose a 180-day sentence that was recommended in a pre-sentence report, citing Stark's "scant" criminal history and attributing Stark's behavior to a perceived threat.

"Danette chose an extraordinarily inappropriate way to deal with her pain," he said. "She is a mother who was very hurt and perceived a threat to her child."