Ex-Moab teacher takes plea deal in sex abuse of student

A former Moab teacher accused of sexual activity with a student who later committed suicide has agreed to a plea bargain.

Arielle M. Beck, 30, on Thursday entered an "Alford plea" to one count of forcible sodomy, a second-degree felony. This type of plea is not an admission of guilt, but an acknowledgement that prosecutors have sufficient evidence to get a conviction at trial.

As part of the plea bargain, other charges against Beck were dismissed. These include: three counts of forcible sex abuse, all second-degree felonies; child abuse and supplying alcohol to a minor, both class A misdemeanors; and allowing an unlicensed person to drive, a class C misdemeanor.

Third District Judge Michele Christiansen on Thursday put Beck on probation for five years, directed her to register as a sex offender and get any necessary treatment, and gave Beck credit for time already served behind bars.

Beck was previously convicted at trial in 2003, but that was overturned. She was set to begin a new trial on Monday.

Beck met 14-year-old Kelly Sowell in 2002 while Beck was assistant coach for a softball team. Beck also was a teaching assistant in the girl's English class. The girl's parents, Sherilyn and Mike Sowell, grew suspicious of the time that Beck and the girl were spending together. Sherilyn Sowell said she found a love letter from Beck to her daughter, got a restraining order against Beck and called the school principal, who ousted Beck.

Prosecutors said they found e-mails and letters written to the girl that were typical of those used to "groom" a child for a sexual relationship.

Beck, however, has denied sending romantic messages to the girl and said there was no sexual relationship between them.

Beck served three years in prison for the 2003 conviction that in 2007 was overturned by the Utah Supreme Court, largely because the high court determined that Beck did not get a fair trial because 7th District Judge Lyle Anderson asked Beck "prosecutorial" questions during that trial. The Supreme Court ruled that the judge forsook the impartiality he should exhibit at trial and this may have affected the jury. The case was then moved to Salt Lake City.

The sensational case divided the small community of Moab and broke many friendships as people picked sides.

Some believed Kelly was the victim of a pedophile teacher, but many aligned themselves with Beck and insisted the girl was lying about the highly popular teacher and coach.

The Sowells said Kelly grew despondent about being teased and mistreated at school and in the community, and she ended up getting psychiatric care in Moab, Salt Lake City and Denver.

Kelly Sowell hanged herself on Nov. 11, 2005.

Her parents shared one of their daughter's poems with the Deseret News a year later. Titled "Hidden Tears," it includes the lines, "I am sick of being hurt and hiding it, so I will save myself from being lost in this dark place," and "I have hidden for so long and will no longer have the fear of being overwhelmed with all these hidden tears."

e-mail: lindat@desnews.com