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DUCHESNE — A former Tabiona town councilman who sent sexually explicit messages to a teenage girl will spend the next month in jail.
The teen's mother told Judge Samuel Chiara her daughter is still afraid of Jason Dan Hoyt, who pleaded guilty in March to stalking, a class A misdemeanor, and lewdness, a class B misdemeanor.
"She is not my little girl anymore," the woman said. "She is hurt in ways I don't understand and can't fix. Every little girl should feel safe in her own home; my little girl does not."
During a preliminary hearing in the case, the 14-year-old girl testified that Hoyt, 26, sent her sexually explicit Facebook messages shortly after she accepted his "friend request" in December.
Police contacted the girl after receiving an anonymous tip. The teen provided investigators with screenshots of Hoyt's messages, which allegedly asked the girl if she was sexually active, if she had ever engaged in a specific sex act and if she would go for a ride alone with him on Tabby Mountain.
She is not my little girl anymore. She is hurt in ways I don't understand and can't fix.
–Teen's mother
Hoyt, a married father of three, was a member of the Tabiona Town Council when he sent the messages. He became emotional Monday as he told Chiara he accepts responsibility for the heartache he has caused the victim, her family and his own family.
"The hardest part of the past five months is that I haven't been able to apologize to the girl and her family," said Hoyt, who also told the judge he lost his job after his arrest and had to move his family to Kane County where they are now living with relatives.
"I am not a sex offender," Hoyt said. "I'm not going to hurt this girl. I'm not going to hurt her family. I just want to get back to my normal life."
I am not a sex offender. I'm not going to hurt this girl. I'm not going to hurt her family. I just want to get back to my normal life.
–Jason Hoyt
Chiara noted that Hoyt has no prior criminal history. A psychosexual evaluation completed before sentencing also showed that he is considered a low risk to commit a new sex offense, the judge said.
Chiara order Hoyt to serve 30 days in the Duchesne County Jail and two years on probation. He must also pay a $500 fine, complete all recommended counseling and pay for any counseling the victim needs.
Hoyt was taken into custody immediately after the hearing to begin serving his sentence.
