Yes, there WAS a charge of sexual battery, a felony. Charges reduced to child abuse.
Here's what all likely happened:
1. Victim was a 16 yo Mormon girl.
2. If perp wasn't 21 (if he was 19 or 20), then no charges would have even been filed if no actual "penetration."
3. Because of #2, sexual battery charge WAS filed.
4. Lds bishop involved probably encouraged victim's family NOT to see this thru a trial...more embarrassment to church; perhaps not in best interest of victim; and perp would have to register the rest of his life as a sex offender.
5. Victim's family apparently agreed to that. Charges reduced to "felony injury to a child"...still a felony...still rooted in his sexual perp act...but a plea agreement.
[Jeff Head lives in Idaho & is Lds; wonder what he thinks of all this?]
Or the State didn’t have evidence and offered a deal rather than loose
He got off way too light, IMHO.
If he was serving a mission and attempted to rape a 16 year old girl...irrespective of whether he actually consummated his sick, criminal “act,” he should be thrown in prison for a long time.
If I had been the father...we would never have agreed to such reduced charges.
This act reflects on this individual...not on the church. Their are bad apples in every cart. People, who to a certain point appear fine...go off and do dastardly things. When they do, they need to feel the full weight and consequences of their actions...and if they are truly repentant, they will accept them.
As I said, he should have gotten a much, much stiffer penalty, with prison time of a good 5-10 years IMHO and then equal that in probation afterwards.
LDS or not.