Friday, March 29, 2024

Former LDS leader sentenced to 30 years for sexual assault

Michael Adam Davis, 38, a former leader at the Kasson Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, was sentenced last week to 30 years in prison for sexually assaulting a juvenile male.

He was convicted in May of this year of felony first-degree criminal sexual conduct, second-degree criminal sexual conduct and indecent exposure. Dodge County District Court Judge Jodi Williamson sentenced him to 30 years on one of the first-degree counts, 234 months on a second first degree count and 70 months for a second-degree charge. He was credited with 229 days for time served. The sentences will be served concurrently.

Davis was arrested and charged in April of 2019 and accused of sexually abusing a victim under the age of 16 while serving as a young men’s leader at the church.

Davis was the Elders Quorum president at the Kasson LDS church where the victim and his mother attended.

According to the criminal complaint against Davis, he was pulled over in a routine traffic stop on March 4, 2019, for not wearing a seat belt. A young boy was in the vehicle with Davis at the time.

A background check on Davis revealed he was a registered sex offender in Utah.

Further investigation led to charges that Davis sexually assaulted the juvenile, then 13-years-old, multiple times over the 2018 Christmas break.

After Davis’ conviction in Dodge County, the prosecution, led by Assistant County Attorney Geoffrey Hjerleid, made a motion to pursue an upward departure for Davis, an action that would lead to a longer sentence than that allowed by Minnesota sentencing guidelines. In asking for the longer sentence, the prosecution cited Davis’ prior convictions in Utah. In October, Williamson ruled in favor of the prosecution.

Davis pleaded guilty in August of 2003 in Utah to misdemeanor lewdness involving a child and received a suspended sentence. In April of 2006, he pleaded guilty to two felony third-degree counts for attempted forcible sexual abuse. Since his second conviction in Utah, he was listed on the Utah Department of Corrections Sex and Kidnap Offender registry.

Davis is serving his sentence in the state prison in St. Cloud.

 

 

 

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