Estimated read time: 2-3 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 Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information.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.
BRIGHAM CITY — A Perry woman has been sentenced to up to 10 years in prison for selling nude photographs of her young daughter.
Starla Rae McCabe, 46, was sentenced Monday to two back-to-back terms of up to five years in prison for attempted sexual exploitation of a minor, a third-degree felony. A third sentence of up to five years will run consecutively.
First District Court Judge Thomas Willmore noted that if McCabe successfully completes substance abuse counseling while in prison, fines totalling $9,599 will be suspended.
McCabe was originally charged with 10 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, a second-degree felony. She pleaded guilty last month to three reduced counts of attempted sexual exploitation of a minor.
Related Story
Utah mom accused of selling nude photos of young child
A mother with a history of drug abuse is accused of taking and selling nude photos of her grade-school-aged child.The Perry woman was arrested last year after a relative discovered nude photographs of the child on the girl's handheld Nintendo console, according to a search warrant affidavit. The child told a Division of Child and Family Services caseworker that McCabe had taken "loads" of pictures of her "without any clothes on" and that her mother "would then show the pictures to men," the affidavit states.
The child, who is now 6 years old, also said the mother "printed the pictures and sold them to people for $100," another court document states.
McCabe has a history of drug charges in Utah, according to state court records.
Charges of obstruction of justice and failure to report child abuse filed against the girl's father, Brian Dean Raehal, were dismissed in March. Prosecutors filed a motion at that time saying they didn't intend to pursue the charges so the girl would not be required to testify, according to court records.
Prosecutors reported that the girl was "severely traumatized" and was undergoing counseling, and testifying in court could inflict further damage. If the child is later able to testify, charges may be refiled, the motion notes.
Raehal, 56, told investigators he was unaware of the photos and pleaded not guilty to the charges.
