Estimated read time: 1-2 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
ROOSEVELT — A man responsible for teaching religious education classes to LDS high school students is facing criminal charges after investigators say he burglarized a home on a Sunday afternoon to steal prescription painkillers.
Brian Dean Thacker was charged Wednesday in 8th District Court with burglary, a second-degree felony, theft, a class B misdemeanor, and possession of a controlled substance, a class B misdemeanor.
On May 26, Thacker entered a home about 2 p.m. and took Lortab from a medicine cabinet, according to Duchesne County sheriff's detective Dela Rowley.
A woman was upstairs in the home at the time and heard Thacker moving around downstairs, Rowley said. She waited until Thacker left and then looked out the window and recognized him, the detective said.
Thacker, 42, was interviewed after the incident was reported to the sheriff's office. He corroborated the woman's account of what happened and admitted to taking Lortab from the home, Rowley said.
Thacker served as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints seminary teacher for Union High School during the 2012-13 academic year. Prior to that, he was the seminary teacher for LDS students at Altamont High School.
"The church expects the highest level of conduct from its seminary teachers," LDS Church spokeswoman Ruth Todd said. "Brian Thacker is on administrative leave."
So far investigators do not believe Thacker was using prescription painkillers while teaching seminary classes or soliciting medication from his students, Rowley said.
Thacker has entered an inpatient drug treatment program. His first court appearance is set for June 27.
