Sandy man gets 45 years in child-porn case

A Sandy man convicted of 16 counts of child pornography has been sentenced to serve up to 45 years in prison.

Wayne Jay Bergeson, 55, was convicted last year on 11 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor and five counts of possession of a dangerous weapon by a restricted person, all second-degree felonies. Court records show the judge ordered three of the counts to be served consecutively.

The Utah Attorney General's Office said its Internet Crimes Against Children task force agents forced their way into Bergeson's home in 2007 after receiving information he was downloading child pornography.

In his home, prosecutors said, they found guns and ammunition and child porn videos that showed bestiality and sex abuse with children as young as 2. Bergeson was prohibited from possessing a gun because he was a convicted felon. He was convicted in 1980 of forcible sex abuse and kidnapping but never placed on Utah's sex offender registry because it happened before laws requiring it were implemented.

— Ben Winslow