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WEST JORDAN — A West Jordan man who admitted to assaulting women, sometimes at parties he helped host through his role as a leader in a singles group, apologized to three women individually before he was sentenced to prison on Friday.
Kevin Linford, 46, said he listened carefully to what the three victims had said about their experiences, even though it was hard for him. He said each of them looked him in the eye, an experience he called "powerful," and said this must be horrible for them.
"Who would want to believe they caused people such harm," he said. "I truly believe I have more work to do, and I'm ready to do this."
A 3rd District Court judge sentenced Linford on Friday to serve five years to life in prison for rape, a first-degree felony; and one to 15 years in prison for each of three counts of forcible sexual abuse, a second-degree felony.
Linford was sentenced on Sept. 8 in 2nd District Court to serve five years to life in prison after pleading guilty to charges of rape and attempted object rape, both first-degree felonies; and forcible sexual abuse, a second-degree felony.
Third District Judge Matthew Bates ordered the sentence of five years to life in Salt Lake County to be served consecutively to the sentence in the Davis County case, and the other three sentences will run concurrently.
Two women spoke about their experiences being assaulted by Linford on the day the sentencing was originally scheduled, one week previously, and one woman spoke about her experience with Linford on Friday after the sentence was handed down. The delay was needed to fix an error in legal documents.
The woman who spoke on Friday said she trusted Linford when she met him because everyone had cheered when he walked into the party, and she could tell he was well-known. She said he held her hand at the party, and said he wanted people to think they were together. She said she was "grateful" when he offered to walk her to her car, until he began to assault her.
"I asked Kevin to stop so many times. He was aggressive, he was strong … so many times I asked him to stop," she said.
She was eventually able to get in her car, lock it and drive away. She said she has emotional scars from the experience.
"It has robbed me of my sense of safety and security in the world," she said.
Linford's attorney, Staci Visser, had asked the judge to allow Linford to serve his prison sentences for cases in each county at the same time.
"He absolutely made terrible mistakes; Kevin also contributed greatly to the people around him," she said.
Bates said he decided to have Friday's sentence run consecutively to those in the Davis County case, in part, because of the significant impact felt by victims in sexual assault cases, which in both counties was eight different women.
"What you have done to these victims will remain with them, likely for the rest of their lives," he told Linford. "You have, in your own conduct, given them a life sentence."
He said Linford was a leader in the group, which grew into a popular Facebook group, and was in a position to be an example. The judge said that meant he was also in a position to cause people to lose trust and be reluctant to engage with others.
"While what you did provided some benefit to people in the community, your conduct in this case has also been very harmful to that community," Bates said.
Deputy Salt Lake County attorney Andres Gonzales said Linford exhibited predatory behavior and deliberately would go to private areas to assault women. He said the actions had a "real and tangible impact" on the women.
"This left a trail of devastation," he said. "He needs to be in prison for as long as possible."
Visser invited three people to speak about the positive influence Linford had in their lives and said he is not a person the court should "throw away."
Linford's ex-wife spoke about how he had been a good husband and father; a member of the singles group spoke about how Linford was always willing to help people who were moving and even held a baby shower for a new member of the group; and Linford's sister talked about the positive role Linford played in their family.
