Utah therapist charged with 17 felonies told victim he was a ‘sex addict,’ police say


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PROVO — A therapist accused of sexually assaulting a former juvenile patient numerous times at a youth treatment center told the girl that "he was a sex addict," according to newly unsealed court documents.

Jason Scott Calder, 41, of Bountiful, is charged in 4th District Court with rape, five counts of object rape, and five counts of forcible sodomy, all first-degree felonies. He is also charged with five counts of forcible sexual abuse, a second-degree felony; and obstructing justice, a second-degree felony.

The assaults happened from March until June while the girl was a resident in the same inpatient youth treatment facility where Calder was a therapist, according to police.

"The grooming began when she was meeting with her therapist at her treatment facility for her scheduled therapy appointments," according to court documents.

During one therapy session, Calder had the girl take off her clothes, but told her he couldn't touch her, the warrant states.

But "Calder quickly disregarded this statement," according to charging documents.

"Things progressed rather quickly and the therapist suggested they go for a walk up in the mountains alone for their next therapy session," according to a search warrant unsealed this weekend in 4th District Court.

They would continue to take walks during therapy sessions, during which the girl performed sex acts on Calder, the warrant states.

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"While they were up in the mountains (Hobble Creek location) and in his two offices, one in Hobble Creek and the other in Spanish Fork," the sex acts continued, according to the warrant.

The acts progressed with future sessions.

"The therapist told the victim she did not need to worry about getting pregnant since he was unable to have children. The victim disclosed the therapist would have special therapy sessions with her late into the night. He would call her at the treatment facility to discuss, 'keeping their story straight, when he was off shift,'" according to the warrant.

Other staff members noticed the late therapy sessions and mountain walks, which he did not do with any other female patient, and he was soon fired. He was let go from his job before his arrest.

Calder is licensed as a clinical mental health counselor and a marriage and family therapist, according to the Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing's website. Because he has worked in Salt Lake and Utah counties for a number of years, deputies noted in their affidavit, "the potential for other victims in this case is extremely high.

His next court hearing was scheduled for Oct. 26.

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Pat Reavy is a longtime police and courts reporter. He joined the KSL.com team in 2021, after many years of reporting at the Deseret News and KSL NewsRadio before that.

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