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VERNAL — A Uintah County man who faced multiple allegations of child sex abuse in three separate cases has accepted a plea deal from prosecutors that will require him to serve prison time.
Seth L. Forster entered Alford pleas last week in 8th District Court to two counts of attempted aggravated sexual abuse of a child, according to court records. Under an Alford plea, a defendant does not admit guilt but acknowledges there is sufficient evidence for a conviction if the case were to go to trial.
Courts treat an Alford plea the same as a guilty plea for purposes of sentencing.
Forster, 38, was initially charged in September 2014 with three counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a child, three counts of furnishing alcohol to a minor and two counts of lewdness involving a child.
Prosecutors filed two more cases against Forster in June 2015, charging him with aggravated sexual abuse of a child in one case, and rape of a child and aggravated sexual abuse of a child in the other.
Forster provided Dr. Pepper mixed with whiskey to three girls under the age of 14 while they were in a hot tub at his house in 2014, according to charging documents. When one of the girls left, the two remaining girls said Forster got in the hot tub with them.
Detectives were told that Forster repeatedly touched one of the girls in an inappropriate manner. He also undressed in front of the girls, ran naked through the house and encouraged one of the girls to expose herself, the charges state.
Forster was arrested and interviewed. He acknowledged that he took of his clothes in front of girls while playing "Truth or Dare," and that he provided the girls with alcohol, detectives said.
In exchange for Forster's pleas to the attempted aggravated child sex abuse charges, prosecutors have asked the judge to dismiss all remaining charges in the three pending cases.
Forster agreed that he would not be eligible for probation when he is sentenced on Nov. 16. Instead, he will be sentenced to two concurrent terms of three years to life in prison.
