Sex-abuse case 'extreme'

Davis County Attorney Melvin Wilson had his office charge a Clearfield couple in 2nd District Court with child sexual abuse and child pornography involving their daughters, who are ages 9 and 7.

The woman is the biological mother of the girls, while the man is their stepfather.

"This is one of the most extreme examples of child sexual abuse, child sexual exploitation and child pornography that I have experienced in my 26 years of prosecution," Wilson said in a statement Friday. "It is our intent to seek the maximum punishment provided."

The Davis County Attorney's Office reviewed the investigation of the case done by the Clearfield City Police Department.

The man has been charged with six first-degree felonies: two counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a child, two counts of sodomy on a child and two counts of object rape of a child. If convicted of all charges, he could face maximum sentences of life in prison on all counts.

The woman has been charged with four first-degree felonies: two counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a child and two counts of object rape of a child. She, too, potentially faces a maximum of life sentences on the counts if convicted.

The couple also is facing similar charges in federal court after a federal grand jury indicted each of them in April on six charges of sexual exploitation of children and one count each of possession of child pornography. The pair has entered not-guilty pleas in the federal cases.

The situation that prompted the federal charges came to light on March 30 when a woman living in the home told police she had found explicit photos of the 9-year-old in a computer in the couple's bedroom. The FBI got involved and unearthed sexually explicit photos of the 7-year-old.

Court documents state that the children are together in some of the pictures and are depicted alone in others. Law enforcement officials say the man and woman also are in some of the photos in the nude and in sexually explicit postures with the girls.

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E-mail: lindat@desnews.com