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| Ex-jailer charged in inmate's sex assault |
| By heraldextra.com - Jennifer Dobner - The Associated Press |
| Published: 06/15/2011 |
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SALT LAKE CITY -- A former Utah corrections officer has pleaded not guilty to three felony charges related to the alleged sexual assault of a female inmate. Christopher Stein Epperson entered the pleas to the counts of deprivation of rights under color of law -- meaning he used his position of authority -- in Salt Lake City's U.S. District Court on Thursday. Epperson, 33, of Heber City, remains incarcerated pending a detention hearing. A trial is set for Aug. 15. According to the indictment, Epperson attempted to commit or committed aggravated sexual assault twice and touched the female inmate at the Wasatch County Jail through her clothing another time in December 2009. The charges grew out of an investigation of the incident by the Utah Department of Public Safety and the FBI, Melodie Rydalch, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's Office said. Prosecutors have linked two counts of the indictment to the alleged assaults and the third to touching incident. If convicted of the first two counts, Epperson faces a life prison term and $250,000 on each charge. The third charge carries a punishment of one year in prison and another $250,000 fine. Epperson's defense attorney, Randy Spencer, declined to comment on the case on Thursday. Read More. |
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