Utah Church Leader Faces Charges for Sexual Abuse of A Teen
A leader of a Utah church group was arrested for sexual abuse of a teen after a young woman came forward with information regarding an incident that occurred seven years ago.
Sexual abuse
A 20 year old Utah woman told authorities that her church leader had non-consensual sexual relations with her when she was 13 years old. Jefferson Cuong Quoc Ngo, who at the time was 18 years old, was arrest on multiple charges including sexual abuse of a child.
Age difference
When a 25 year old is arrested for engaging in sexual activity with a minor, there is no reason to wonder why the perpetrator got in trouble. When an older teen or young adult is arrested for sexual relations with a minor, many may wonder exactly what the laws are regarding such instances. According to Utah Code 76-5-401.3, 12 to 13 year old are not considered old enough by Utah law to engage in sexual activity. Older teens that choose to carry on a sexual relationship with a young teen or “tween” may face felony charges of unlawful adolescent sexual activity while young adults could receive more severe child sexual abuse charges. Once a teen is 16 or 17, they are considered more capable of making decisions regarding their sexual activity, and their sexual partner can be an adult as long as the age difference is not too great.
Non-consensual sexual encounter
Regardless of the ages of the individuals involved, no sexual activity may take place if one of the parties does not consent to it. According to the victim in the case, she did not want to engage in sexual activity with Ngo but was made to believe the encounter was okay because she thought they were a couple. Due to her young age at the time, she was too immature to understand the adult situation she was in and what her rights were. Ngo is facing two felonies and one misdemeanor for his illegal conduct. For more information on legal age of consent in Utah or for questions related to sexual abuse charges, contact a criminal defense attorney.
