Deseret News | Ex-Scout leader gets jail for sexual abuse

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Ex-Scout leader gets jail for sexual abuse

John | 1:23 p.m. Aug. 17, 2009

If it isn't seminary it's the Boy Scouts...where do all these pervs come from and where is the supervision?

Cosmo | 1:34 p.m. Aug. 17, 2009

I hope the young man gets all the help he can. As for Mr.Brown, it is better if I say nothing.

Anonymous | 1:41 p.m. Aug. 17, 2009

This is a low down dirty shame. 1 year? Lock him up in prison for life. He ruined a youngman life and is given a slap on the wrist. SHAME ON THE JUDGE.

Comments continue below

Two deep | 1:44 p.m. Aug. 17, 2009

Two deep leadership. Say it ten times out loud to yourself. If there is not two deep leadership my son does not go.

Anonymous | 1:55 p.m. Aug. 17, 2009

I think that the judgement was fair.

Mike B. | 2:01 p.m. Aug. 17, 2009

Only one year in jail. What about the years of therapy and guilt that the 12 year scout will have to endure in order to get his life back. This is a travesty of justice and a lack of intelligence on the courts part. This man used his position as a scout leader, one who is supposed to be trusted with our young men and he betrays not only the Scouts but all youth leaders and the families of those young men. Life in prison is the only Just sentence for a despicable act against innocence everywhere. Shame on our gutless Judicial system and those who serve in it.

Dixie Dan | 2:05 p.m. Aug. 17, 2009

A Bountiful teacher gets 5 years to life for a sexual affair with a student. This pervert gets 1 year plus probation. Strange laws in Utah. Does he get to keep his church membership?

Amen | 2:08 p.m. Aug. 17, 2009

I agree with Two deep. NEVER should the scout leader (or any youth leader) be alone with a youth/scout. That is part of Youth Protection Training - to be renewed every two years.

This also means that the family should follow up with the youth to find out what happened on the latest campout or excursion. I'm sorry that this turmoil has gone on as long as it has, but at least Mr. Brown has done one thing right - and pleaded guilty.

Mike J | 2:11 p.m. Aug. 17, 2009

I propose that he serves his 1 year in the prison general population. Then we know that justice will be served...

Justice | 3:02 p.m. Aug. 17, 2009

The hypocrisy and priorities in the US are beyond belief. People have gone to prison for years for not paying taxes, but a sexual predator can get off without any time in prison for sexually abusing a minor. All America cares about is money.

mess up a life | 3:22 p.m. Aug. 17, 2009

and only get one year..geez even misdemenors have it harder!1

the truth | 4:36 p.m. Aug. 17, 2009

The HARD truth is people like this NEED Help,

not jail.

HOw is justice served? How are problems fixed IN jail?

The only thing jail does is make some posters in these forum happy, and NOT about you.

Does jail time MAGICALLY make everything right and JUSTIFIED?

Anyone HONEST with themselves knows the answer.

Not enough time | 4:47 p.m. Aug. 17, 2009

Not enough jail time - but a LIFETIME of being a registered sex offender. Who knows what kind of relationship, if any, he will have in the future with his children, or whether his wife will divorce him. He has lifetime consequences, but more time in jail would be more just also.

Justice | 5:37 p.m. Aug. 17, 2009

To the truth,

Justice is served with this man in jail because he gets to become the "wife" of a big, hairy biker-murderer-drug-dealer!

THEN he understands what it is like to be in his victims' shoes!

Now THAT is justice!

Anonymous | 5:48 p.m. Aug. 17, 2009

Only 1 year?

Seems like 2-4 would be more like it?

Re: the truth | 5:59 p.m. Aug. 17, 2009

You are absolutely right, the truth. No one should ever get jail time. In fact, we should eliminate jails altogether. Instead of serving jail time, everyone should just receive a hug and counseling. Molest a child? Give em a hug! Murder a family? Three hugs and one year of counseling. Without severe consequences, anarchy emerges. And by the way, most prison systems incorporate counseling and programs of reformation to assist in the rehabilitation process. Does jail time magically make everything right? No, but it removes them from the general population and away from our kids.

AB | 7:20 p.m. Aug. 17, 2009

Fair...I have a child that was molested and it is a lifetime of suffering and therapy, you are a total idiot to think this will not hurt this child, have you had a child molested? Come on, you cannot be that stupid!
And not enough time...NO ONE is on the sex offender registry for a lifetime...the maximum anyone can be on that list is 12 years..you people are why sex offenders are hugged and loved and the children end up killing themselves or disolving into despair and addiction...Utah is ridiculous.

Disgusted | 12:06 a.m. Aug. 18, 2009

Automatic life in prison or execution for child molesters. Just because he cries doesn't mean he won't do it again. I say that anytime a judge gives a light sentence like this to a child molester they should automatically have the perv. move in next door to the judge when the get out. That will get them to think twice. This is not a Utah problem. I live in Georgia and we have the same problems here. The criminal gets a good attorney and plea bargains out and the kid is left to suffer. Automatic Life or Death Penalty!!

toendemoll | 7:53 a.m. Aug. 18, 2009

I have had a child molested too and it is never over for them. Offenders never get better, they will go on and on. The offenders need to be sent away to a desert island. They can take care of each other and we won't ever have to be bothered by them again. It's such a heart breaking ordeal for families to go through. I don't believe the "forgiveness" will last very long. They are in denial and need to face it. How will they feel when that child turns 30 and is still have night mares?

Anne | 8:35 a.m. Aug. 18, 2009

I am a victim. It happened over 20 years ago, and I still suffer from panic attacks, depression, and intimacy issues. This man is getting a slap on the wrist for permanently destroying a vital part of this young man. Our justice system is DISGUSTING.

Brian | 8:52 a.m. Aug. 18, 2009

Makes you think about the guy that got six months for yawning in court. Wounding a judges ego slightly will get you six months and destroying a young man's life will get you a year. It's clear that in the bizarro world of justice in America that there is no justice.

Wondering | 9:12 a.m. Aug. 18, 2009

What took this boy so long to tell his parents what was going on?? I will never understand that. I know, I know -- they are told not to, "I'll hurt your family", etc. but come on! He finally did and I'm sure he wishes he would have done so sooner.
And as for the perp -- I like the comment about him being a "wife." Ha ha -- he totally deserves that.

WOW | 9:33 a.m. Aug. 18, 2009

It's amazing to me that those who are closest to the victim have learned to forgive and have not requested jail time. Their focus seems to be what is in the best interest first of the victim and later how do we help save a man most of you don't feel deserves saving. While the victims family has an attitude of forgiveness (which MUST be difficult beyond belief) the faceless mobs in this comment section are screaming for his death sentence. I don't condone his actions. To hurt a child in any way...better that a mill stone were hung around their neck and they were dropped into the sea. But who the heck do we think we are passing judgement. Take the stones out of your hands. Let the families involved and the courts sort this out. Ultimately he will have to face his Maker and account for what he did.

Right On | 10:34 a.m. Aug. 18, 2009

WOW, you said it right - it isn't for us to judge, be he will ultimately meet his maker and have to answer to him. He also has to live with himself and deal with that. Seems he's remorseful by owning up to what he did and pleading guilty to avoid having the victim have to testify in court. Don't agree with the sentence - One year, and he gets credit for the 8 months he's been in jail -- so 4 months?

Als, AB, there are certain situations where someone is on the sex registry for life. I'm thinking this is one as this guy was in a position of trust. True, most drop off after 10 - 12 years (which I don't agree with) but there are lifers on there. I'm not sure of the criteria, but hopefully he'll be one of them.

To John, I'm sure Utah is prime ground for these perps. There's such a high youth involvement with schools, scouting etc., and few background checks, so with programs with so many kids in them, you want to volunteer as a scout leader, no one's going to say no.

Anonymous | 10:38 a.m. Aug. 18, 2009

He deserves jail time to protect other kids who may be his next victim. Forgiveness has nothing to do with letting the law take its course. You can forgive the molester chilling in prison just as easily as you can forgive the molester roaming the streets looking for his next victim. I think it's fine if the family wants to forgive him right away. I don't think it's fine that they don't care if this happens to others.

wades cousin! | 1:49 p.m. Aug. 18, 2009

SHAME ON THAT JUDGE! Wade needs to be put behind bars for the rest of his life!! I dont care how bad he feels...he did it and now he needs to pay!! a cheater will allways be a cheater and a child molester will allways be a child molester! an eye for eye isnt that how its supposed to be? i hope some BIG dude gets ahold of him and has his way with him for the next year...........

Boise/Pam | 2:57 p.m. Aug. 18, 2009

You people of Orem need to find out what the punishment could have been and if that judge took the low road. You don't need that kind of man on the bench if he doesn't enforce the fullest extent of the law when it comes to a predator. No wonder the wife is divorcing the pervert. If I were her I would talk to my kids to see if they or other relatives or neighbor kids were abused. There will always be deviates trying to get in those trusted places to get to our kids. Please keep very open communication with your kids, from the time they are young. If there are places they don't want to go or people they don't want to spend time with or babysit them. You better find out why. You are there protector, be vigilant. You can't trust anyone, not even church members. There are perverts everywhere.

That man got nothing for what he did, what a slap in the face to that poor child. And when they are finally caught they usually have molested many, many kids. He be out soon!

Makes you want to throw up.

From the Word | 4:25 p.m. Aug. 18, 2009

Please read Luke 17:1-4. Please don't stop at the judgement point (verses 1-3) but go on to the forgiveness (verse 4.) Remember Jesus died for sinners, them, me and YOU too! These passages were spoken by Jesus Himself!

Remember, God doesn't make any throw away people. Man does that.

Don't pick apart what I said and defile God's own words. Give your maker at least that much respect. Learn from his words instead.

Jon | 12:32 p.m. Sept. 11, 2009

Is it so impossible to believe that someone can change and never do something again. Why does everybody assume that he's roaming the streets looking for his next victim. I'm up against the same charges. I went through similar things as a kid. I never told anybody or got help and assumed I was fine. I feared the world more than God, which is why I'm in this situation. If the world was more forgiving I would have asked for help long ago. Now that my sins are for the world to see. I feel a huge weight lifted, I've repented, and I KNOW I would never do it again. But I have a minimum mandatory sentence of 15 years in prison. My family loves and forgives me and want me home. They will suffer greatly. More than I will. I know that I will be forgiven by God and that I am forgiven by my family. And I ask all of you to please have forgiving hearts towards everybody. It's required by God in order to recieve our own forgiveness.

sts | 1:40 p.m. Sept. 13, 2009

Everyone here needs to understand something: the light sentence was, as part of plea bargaining, to help keep the victim off the stand. But the judge was clear: one tiny slip up, and the whole load of bricks comes crashing down.

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