Woman sentenced to jail for sex with teens

NEPHI — Her punishment is a year in jail and three years on probation for having sex with several 16- and 17-year-old boys, but there is nothing that 38-year-old Leisa Ward can do to take back what those boys now know.

"She created a culture or a society with these young men where she was the core of it — her and her sexual favors," said Deputy Juab County Attorney AnnMarie Howard. "I don't believe we have seen the full impact of that yet."

Ward, a mother of five from Nephi, was sentenced Tuesday morning in 4th District Court in Juab County on 11 counts of unlawful sexual conduct with five 16- or 17-year-old males.

The sexual relationships began in April 2007 with one victim and expanded to include four more teens in October and November. During a review at the Utah State Prison, Ward revealed three more victims. Additional charges were not filed however, due to a plea agreement.

Nephi police discovered the relationships by investigating rumors that turned out to be true.

"Your actions distorted their perception of reality, their perception of sexual conduct," 4th District Judge Donald Eyre told Ward. "(This) will affect (the victims) for the rest of their lives."

He said he hopes the boys get counseling, and ordered that Ward pay for it. He also reminded Ward that if she messed up on her three years of probation, she would be sent to prison on what could be five consecutive third-degree felonies, meaning a potential of 25 years.

One of the boys' mothers said she didn't want Ward on the street and became emotional as she talked about her son. The Deseret News doesn't name victims of sexual abuse.

"My son is going to hurt in the long run, be out searching for things that she taught him, things that (are) not even valid in a marriage," the mother said. After leaving the hearing, the mother called the sentence a slap on the wrist.

After a 79-day diagnostic review at the prison, Adult Probation and Parole recommended a prison sentence because Ward seemed to be shirking responsibility.

"Every report we have, we had a little bit different story about the involvement," said Belle Brough, supervisor of the AP&P diagnostic unit. "We felt like she never took full responsibility."

Other concerns were the number of victims, and the grooming behavior.