Youth Foundation Success Academy / Cross Creek employee sentenced

[Oscar]

Staffer at school for troubled teens sentenced for sharing pornography of himself to students (The Republic)

ST. GEORGE, Utah — A former staffer at a southern Utah school for troubled teens has been sentenced to 120 days in jail after authorities say he showed students pornographic pictures and videos of himself.

The Spectrum reports (http://bit.ly/17up49g) Donald Brown Jr. was sentenced Tuesday after pleading guilty to five counts of offering harmful material to a minor.

The 48-year-old Brown had been working at the Youth Foundation Success Academy in LaVerkin when authorities say he showed teenage boys images of himself having sex with his wife and another woman.

Police say Brown told them the boys saw the pornography on his phone by accident, and there were a lot of accidents.

The newspaper reports Brown apologized in court and was given credit for 17 days he's already served in jail.

Youth counselor gets 120 days for showing kids porn (The Spectrum)

ST. GEORGE — A counselor at a LaVerkin facility for troubled youth was sentenced to 120 days in jail Tuesday for showing personal videos of sexual behavior to boys being housed at the institution.

Donald M. Brown Jr., 48, pleaded guilty in August to five felony counts of offering harmful material to a minor as part of an agreement that dismissed five other charges, but acknowledged in the 5th District Court hearing that he had written a letter to the court in which he claimed the charges were racially motivated.

“I was a little frustrated because some of (the accusations are) true and some of it is not,” Brown, an African-American, told Judge Eric Ludlow. “The statement I wrote I did out of frustration. I apologize and I’d just like to move on.”

Brown said he discussed the videos with the youth, contradicting an investigator’s statement that Brown admitted the youths had seen pornography on his phone “several times, but every time was an accident” and that “a LOT of accidents” took place.

Deputy County Attorney Zachary Weiland expressed concern that Brown was not taking responsibility for his actions, and Ludlow added that he was troubled by Brown’s statements.

“I don’t think you’ve come clean, quite frankly,” the judge said.

Under questioning about whether Brown was disputing his guilty pleas, and after further discussion with defense attorney Ryan Stout, Brown added, “I admit to it and I apologize.”

Brown could have faced up to five years in prison for each charge, but pre-sentencing investigators recommended the 120-day sentence based in part on Brown’s lack of prior criminal history and compliance with court instructions.

“He … grew up on the rough side of Chicago,” Stout said, asking Ludlow to keep Brown out of jail so he could keep his job. “He’s a man that’s proud of his lack of criminal history. He’s got a lot of friends walking around with convictions. … Mr. Brown’s done a fantastic job of staying out of trouble.”

Stout said Brown has found a job since being fired from the Youth Foundation Success Academy, a youth facility that is an outgrowth of the Cross Creek Programs and Horizon Academy. Stout asked that any sentence allow him to continue working at his new job.

Brown’s wife, who acknowledged being part of the threesome shown in the videos, was also employed at the youth facility, but Stout said Brown is now the family’s sole provider.

Ludlow agreed with the recommended four-month jail sentence, however, granting Brown credit for 17 days served. Ludlow also denied Stout’s request for Brown to turn himself in by the weekend and instead ordered Brown taken into custody immediately.

Ludlow said he was not inclined to be lenient because multiple victims were involved and the victims were “particularly vulnerable,” noting Brown’s position of authority over them.

Here is an older article about his arrest:

Youth treatment home worker arrested for showing pornography to minors (St. George Utah)

LAVERKIN – A St. George man who formerly worked as a youth treatment home staff member is facing multiple felony charges for allegedly showing minors pornographic material.

According to a probable cause statement filed in Fifth District Court, the LaVerkin Police Department was contacted by the Youth Foundation home concerning former staff member Donald M. Brown, Jr., 48, of St. George. Brown had allegedly shown six boys at the home pornographic material on his mobile phone depicting himself and others.

The youth home contacted police after conducting an internal investigation

LaVerkin Police Chief Lloyd Watkins said the youth home contacted police after conducting an internal investigation.

“Evidently one of the boys complained to the administration,” Watkins said. “They looked into it and determined there was something there.”

Police interviewed the six boys who said Brown had shown them between 15 and 50 images and videos on his phone. When police interviewed Brown, he said he had spoken to the boys in great detail about his sex life, which was possibly how they knew about what was on his phone. As the interview progressed, Brown said the boys had seen the material on the phone, but that “every time was an accident,” and that he had “a lot of accidents.”

Brown was arrested Tuesday and faces 10 third-degree felony counts of “dealing harmful material to a minor.” Bail currently stands at $50,000. Brown made his initial appearance in Fifth District Court on Wednesday.

Youth treatment facilities in the area can be the subjects of negative press, and that the latest incident was on the shoulders of the accused and not the facility

Concerning the youth home, Watkins said it has “been good to work with” during the investigation. He noted youth treatment facilities in the area can be the subjects of negative press, and that the latest incident was on the shoulders of the accused and not the facility whose personnel had done their part to correct the problem.

Brown was fired from the youth home following the internal investigation.

[none-ya]

120 days? Really?I don't get it.

[Pile of Dead Kids]

120 days? Seriously?

Did it at least earn him a position on the sex offender registry?