SALT LAKE CITY — Calls for the resignation of a Utah judge have intensified following controversial remarks made during the sentencing of a young man in a child sexual exploitation case. House Speaker Mike Schultz, a Republican from Hooper, took to social media to urge 7th District Judge Don Torgerson to step down after Torgerson cited the defendant’s “privilege” while opting against imposing further jail time or a fine.
The backlash stemmed from the sentencing of 22-year-old Aidan Hoffman in Grand County. Hoffman had pleaded guilty to two felony charges related to the sexual exploitation of minors, with ten additional felony charges being dropped. At the sentencing, prosecutors recommended prison time, asserting it would send a strong message regarding the gravity of Hoffman’s offenses, which included possessing and distributing graphic images of child abuse.
In a surprising turn, Judge Torgerson decided against any additional prison sentence, instead assigning Hoffman suspended prison terms and four years of probation, along with the requirement to register as a sex offender. His comments during the hearing, particularly regarding Hoffman’s previous four months in custody, raised eyebrows. Torgerson remarked that “112 days is a lot of jail time for someone your age who comes from some level of privilege.”
He also suggested that Hoffman could potentially serve as an “advocate” for young men in similar situations, further aggravating those who believed that the comments minimized the severity of Hoffman’s actions. “This is deeply troubling and indicative of a broader pattern within the judiciary,” Schultz stated. “Decisions like Judge Torgerson’s one not only fail victims but also undermine public faith in our legal system.”
The implications of Torgerson’s remarks drew criticism from officials within the legal community. Grand County Attorney Stephen Stocks expressed his shock, emphasizing that the focus should remain on the defendant’s actions, regardless of his background. “We owe it to victims to consider their suffering without regard to a defendant’s privilege,” Stocks said.
Schultz was not alone in his concerns. Other lawmakers, including Representative Karianne Lisonbee and Representative Tyler Clancy, voiced their discontent, labeling the sentence as inadequate and its implications as damaging to victims of child sexual abuse.
Torgerson, who was appointed to his judicial position in 2018, offered further unsettling reflections during the sentencing, recalling how he had viewed some of the horrific videos in question and stating that he had “seen worse.” Stocks rebuked this notion, asserting that any case of child abuse, regardless of comparative severity, merits gravity and should not be downplayed.
Hoffman faces additional legal issues in his home state of Maine, where he is charged with three class C felonies for possessing sexually explicit material involving a child under the age of 12. The status of that case remains unresolved.
The furor over this particular sentencing has sparked broader discussions about how privilege can influence judicial outcomes and the necessity for accountability within the judicial system, raising vital questions about fairness in legal proceedings.
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