ST. GEORGE — A St. George man who pleaded guilty to exploiting and enticing two 11-year-old girls was sentenced to prison on Tuesday in what the judge described as “an appalling case.”
Johnathan Paul Sperry, 25, of St. George, appeared in 5th District Court on three second-degree felony counts of sexual exploitation of a minor and three third-degree felony counts of providing harmful material to a minor, charges the defendant pleaded guilty to in August.
Sperry originally had faced more than a dozen charges, including nine second-degree felony counts of sexual exploitation of a minor and six third-degree felony counts of providing harmful material to a minor. Under the terms of the plea agreement, six of the sexual exploitation charges and two of the harmful materials charges were dismissed in exchange for a guilty plea. The misdemeanor enticement charges also were dismissed.
As previously reported by St. George News, the defendant has remained in jail since his arrest in May, following an investigation that opened after Washington County Sheriff’s Office detectives received a call from investigators with the Auburn Police Department in Indiana who said they were investigating a case involving an 11-year-old child.
Investigators said the child had been communicating with a man who identified himself as “Sperry” under the username of “Groovydragon” on his Snapchat profile.
Investigators in Indiana also found evidence that Sperry had requested nude photos and videos from one young girl. And through the course of the investigation, officers also identified a second 11-year-old victim.
Soon after, detectives in Indiana identified the suspect as Sperry, a St. George resident, which is when the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, operated under the Utah Attorney General’s Office, became involved.
A search through the suspect’s social media account revealed that Sperry used the account “to target juvenile social media app users and either solicit files of child pornography or child sexual abuse material,” the detective noted, adding the suspect also directed the two girls to send him nude photos and videos of themselves. Similarly, the defendant also sent nude images to the children that were later found on the girls’ cellphones.
During the hearing before District Judge Jeffrey C. Wilcox, Sperry’s defense attorney, Nathan Reeve, addressed the court by going over the presentence report that included a sentencing matrix that recommended his client be sent to prison.
Reeve disagreed, saying that Sperry has a minimal criminal history and already has spent more than 145 days in jail since his arrest in May. He said the defendant has felt a continuing sense of remorse for what he has done.
Reeve said the fact that his client will have to register as a sex offender and have six felonies on his record is enough of a punishment that will have long-term effects. He also mentioned his client’s strong family support and the work Sperry has done while in custody, which he said shows his client poses no danger to society,
Sperry’s risk of reoffending is very low, he added, pointing to his client’s limited criminal history, which was a misdemeanor case from several years ago.
The attorney asked the court to sentence his client on the low end of the matrix in terms of time in custody and said 210 days in jail would be a sufficient punishment.
Prosecutor Cynthia Poulson represented the state and opened by saying “this is a prison case” that involved multiple victims who were manipulated and exploited.
She said Sperry started with one victim, and then went on to the next, actions the prosecutor said were damaging and exposed these children to a sexualized world.
“The defendant asked an 11-year-old for intimate photos – 11-year-olds are 5th graders, your honor,” she added.
Not only that, she said, the defendant sent nude videos of himself to the children “that you preyed upon – every one of them.”
Poulson also referred to the presentence report by saying the defendant only feels sorry for himself and has no remorse for what he has done to the victims in the case, adding any regrets the defendant may have are only for what he has done to himself.
During rebuttal, Reeve reiterated that his client feels deep remorse for the victims and has worked hard to turn his life around since his arrest. He said his client “is also a victim here” of his own terrible actions.
The mother of one of the 11-year-olds also addressed the court via video from Indiana and said to Sperry, “You brought evil into my home.”
She said the defendant preyed on her daughter whom she couldn’t protect because, by the time she found out, the crimes had already happened, “over and over again.”
Prior to the crimes, she said her daughter was very active in school, had good grades and played sports. Now, she said her daughter has difficulty in school and feels she can no longer trust anyone.
“Trust is completely gone,” she said, adding that her daughter is in therapy to work through what happened.
Dressed in striped jail clothes, Sperry addressed the court by saying he feels horrible for the crimes he committed. He said his actions were fueled by sexual addiction and fed his “sick fantasies.” He said he has worked hard while in custody, and with the help of his family, and the strong support they continue to provide, he is confident he can overcome his addiction and become a contributing member of society.
Prior to rendering a sentence, Wilcox went over the defendant’s actions and said that Sperry went online to find these children. Then, using manipulation and fear, the judge said, the defendant directed these girls to send him photos and sent nude photos of himself as well.
“That’s what you did to those 11-year-old girls – it’s appalling,” the judge said.
The judge went on to say his role in the judicial system is to protect society, “from you,” he said to Sperry. The crimes were deliberate and committed over time, as opposed to waking up one day and doing “some bad things,” he said.
The time in custody will allow the defendant to reflect on what his actions have done to the victims. In addition to incarceration, Sperry’s strong family support, which includes extended family members,will benefit the defendant’s efforts to turn his life around, the judge said.
Wilcox said he agreed with the state and directed his comments to the defendant, saying, “I agree – this is a prison case – and that’s where you’re going to go.”
Wilcox said he would follow the guidelines as set forth in the sentencing matrix and ordered the defendant to serve 1-15 years in Utah State Prison on each of the three second-degree felony solicitation counts and 0-5 years on each of the three third-degree felony harmful materials charges.
The judge ruled that each of the prison terms run concurrently, thanks to the defense attorney’s impassioned arguments, he said. The exact length of Sperry’s sentence ultimately will be left up to the Utah Board of Pardons.
The defendant also was ordered to comply with sex offender registration and Wilcox said he would also recommend that Sperry have no contact with minors, as well as a restriction on internet use. He ordered that Sperry begin his sentence immediately and signed the transport order during the hearing.
Restitution for the victims was left open so the state could determine the amount.
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