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Show Aunt challenges court in Layton sex abuse case By JUDY JENSEN v Editor The aunt of a Layton child abuse victim is concerned that the court is 'sweeping the whole thing under the nig " Linda Deanrwho serves as a member of the Washington County Child Abuse Prevention Committee, claims the Layton man accused of raping her 10-year-old niece has plea bargained with the court, "and now he's being charged with a misdemeanor, not a felony," she said. ... . Court records indicate that the suspect was originally charged with 'Rape of a Child" which is a first ' degree felony punishable by a term in the state prison for a minimum mandatory term of 5, 10 or IS years and an indeterminate period to-folr low which may be for life. The defendant later entered a pica of "no contest" to the charge of rLewdness Involving a Child" which carries a pontile maximum penalty of one year in the county ' jail and a fine of up to $2500 plus a 25 surcharge. Investigating-offi- : cer. Detective Jim Andrews said, "I felt I had a strong enough case to win, but the county attorney's office agreed to the plea bargain. We dorrt necessarily always agree, but I'nf not an attorney and they are. Sometimes an officer doesn't see it the same way an attorney does. Mis, Dean said she is afraid that this case will be like "many others where a defendant is released, and then they go out and hurt another child." She explained that her , father had sexually abused five of his six children. "He was arrested three times and brought to Court and released. Ten years later he abused his granddaughter,' ' she said, v Brian Namba of the Davis County Attorney's officewasjina- vailable for comment on the case. The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on the lesser charge by Judge Douglas Cornaby on February Fe-bruary 21, at 9a.m. |