Minnesota man to serve probation after admitting to sexual abuse at Murray religious event

SALT LAKE CITY — A Minnesota man is on probation after admitting to taking "indecent liberties" with another person without consent at a religious conference in Murray last summer.

Bu Taw, 62, of St. Paul, Minnesota, was sentenced to one to 15 years for forcible sexual abuse, a second-degree felony, on June 25. Third District Judge Theresa Welch suspended that sentence, ordering him instead to spend four years on probation.

Following a suggestion from both attorneys, Welch agreed that he could complete probation in Minnesota. Taw was released after pleading guilty after both attorneys agreed on April 16. He attended his own sentencing hearing online.

Charging documents claim he sexually abused two teenage girls near a church at 460 W. Century Drive and "used a religious setting to prey upon the victims." They said he lured one girl into his car under the guise of getting medicine and sexually assaulted her before giving her $100 to not tell anyone. The girl told a friend, who reported Taw had also touched her buttocks during a group photo.

The first girl, charges say, was helping Taw by trying on clothing he was selling, and she went to his vehicle with him because she "didn't want to be mean." Taw allegedly touched her inappropriately and asked her for kisses. She told him she needed to use the bathroom and walked back to the church.

Taw pleaded guilty following a plea deal that dismissed six additional charges: aggravated kidnapping and human trafficking of a child, first-degree felonies; four counts of forcible sexual abuse, a second-degree felony; and witness tampering, a third-degree felony.

His attorney and prosecutors also agreed to recommend he be released at the time of sentencing and be allowed to leave Utah and serve probation in another state.

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