Man gets jail for fake porn poses
By Laura Hancock
Deseret Morning News
PROVO A man who digitally created pornography by using his computer to attach facial images of family and members of his LDS Church ward to other people's bodies will spend time behind bars after all.
Fourth District Court Judge Claudia Laycock on Wednesday sentenced Lance Rushton, 37, to 45 days in Utah County Jail and 45 days of wearing an ankle-monitoring GPS bracelet.
Wednesday's sentencing comes nearly a month after Laycock rejected a sentence recommendation of a GPS bracelet but no jail time.
Rushton is to appear at the Utah County Jail on Aug. 18 and will begin the GPS monitoring system after he is released from jail.
Laycock also ordered Rushton to write letters of apology to victims and submit them to Adult Probation and Parole for approval. Adult Probation and Parole will send them to the victims.
"You would be responsible to pay the therapy costs for the victims as necessary," she said.
Rushton agreed to a plea deal in which he pleaded guilty to three counts of distributing pornographic material, a third-degree felony.
As a result of the plea deal, prosecutors dropped charges of pornography distribution involving children, said Rushton's attorney, Mike Esplin.
Rushton uploaded pictures of family and ward members to the Internet. The faces were manipulated to fit onto the bodies of other people in sexually explicit positions.
The pictures had been online for at least a year, according to an affidavit.
"I just can't understand" the motive for uploading the pictures, Laycock said.
Her words were less harsh than last month's court appearance when she likened the crime to child abuse and explained why she rejected the sentence recommendation of no jail time.
She indicated last month that she wanted Rushton in jail but delayed sentencing until Wednesday to allow Rushton to arrange for time off from his employer.
"I feel very strongly about sending the appropriate message to the public that he can't destroy lives like this, then not serve any straight time," Laycock said last month.
Rushton has been in therapy since his arrest, Esplin said, and has regretted his actions.
http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,695195045,00.html
By Laura Hancock
Deseret Morning News
PROVO A man who digitally created pornography by using his computer to attach facial images of family and members of his LDS Church ward to other people's bodies will spend time behind bars after all.
Fourth District Court Judge Claudia Laycock on Wednesday sentenced Lance Rushton, 37, to 45 days in Utah County Jail and 45 days of wearing an ankle-monitoring GPS bracelet.
Wednesday's sentencing comes nearly a month after Laycock rejected a sentence recommendation of a GPS bracelet but no jail time.
Rushton is to appear at the Utah County Jail on Aug. 18 and will begin the GPS monitoring system after he is released from jail.
Laycock also ordered Rushton to write letters of apology to victims and submit them to Adult Probation and Parole for approval. Adult Probation and Parole will send them to the victims.
"You would be responsible to pay the therapy costs for the victims as necessary," she said.
Rushton agreed to a plea deal in which he pleaded guilty to three counts of distributing pornographic material, a third-degree felony.
As a result of the plea deal, prosecutors dropped charges of pornography distribution involving children, said Rushton's attorney, Mike Esplin.
Rushton uploaded pictures of family and ward members to the Internet. The faces were manipulated to fit onto the bodies of other people in sexually explicit positions.
The pictures had been online for at least a year, according to an affidavit.
"I just can't understand" the motive for uploading the pictures, Laycock said.
Her words were less harsh than last month's court appearance when she likened the crime to child abuse and explained why she rejected the sentence recommendation of no jail time.
She indicated last month that she wanted Rushton in jail but delayed sentencing until Wednesday to allow Rushton to arrange for time off from his employer.
"I feel very strongly about sending the appropriate message to the public that he can't destroy lives like this, then not serve any straight time," Laycock said last month.
Rushton has been in therapy since his arrest, Esplin said, and has regretted his actions.
http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,695195045,00.html
