Utah judge cites defendant’s ‘privilege’ in ordering no additional time [after 112 days of time served] for 2 felony counts of child sex exploitation

[essentialsaltes]

Aidan Hoffman, 22, was sentenced Tuesday in Grand County after pleading guilty to two felony charges of sexual exploitation of a minor.

According to court documents, Hoffman possessed and distributed multiple images of children being raped and sexually abused.

During the sentencing hearing, Judge Don Torgerson twice cited Hoffman’s “privilege” as he ultimately decided not to require him to serve any additional jail time or pay a fine, despite prosecutors asking for prison.

During the hearing, the judge referred to the time Hoffman had already spent in jail, saying that “112 days is a lot of jail time. It’s a lot of jail time for someone your age who comes from some level of privilege.”

 

[durangodawood]

At least the judge is

.....During the hearing, the judge referred to the time Hoffman had already spent in jail, saying that “112 days is a lot of jail time. It’s a lot of jail time for someone your age who comes from some level of privilege.”

At least the judge is honest about it.

 

[Hoping2]

Aidan Hoffman, 22, was sentenced Tuesday in Grand County after pleading guilty to two felony charges of sexual exploitation of a minor.

According to court documents, Hoffman possessed and distributed multiple images of children being raped and sexually abused.

During the sentencing hearing, Judge Don Torgerson twice cited Hoffman’s “privilege” as he ultimately decided not to require him to serve any additional jail time or pay a fine, despite prosecutors asking for prison.

During the hearing, the judge referred to the time Hoffman had already spent in jail, saying that “112 days is a lot of jail time. It’s a lot of jail time for someone your age who comes from some level of privilege.”

Spare the rod, spoil the abuser.

 

[DaisyDay]

Aidan Hoffman, 22, was sentenced Tuesday in Grand County after pleading guilty to two felony charges of sexual exploitation of a minor.

According to court documents, Hoffman possessed and distributed multiple images of children being raped and sexually abused.

During the sentencing hearing, Judge Don Torgerson twice cited Hoffman’s “privilege” as he ultimately decided not to require him to serve any additional jail time or pay a fine, despite prosecutors asking for prison.

During the hearing, the judge referred to the time Hoffman had already spent in jail, saying that “112 days is a lot of jail time. It’s a lot of jail time for someone your age who comes from some level of privilege.”

Huh. I would have thought that coming from privilege was deserving of more punishment rather than less.

I remember a similar argument when Nixon was pardoned - that he had "suffered enough" from the loss of his privilege.

 

[durangodawood]

Huh. I would have thought that coming from privilege was deserving of more punishment rather than less.

Unlike the rest of us, rich people have earned a gentleman's punishment for their transgressions.

 

[The IbanezerScrooge]

Aidan Hoffman, 22, was sentenced Tuesday in Grand County after pleading guilty to two felony charges of sexual exploitation of a minor.

According to court documents, Hoffman possessed and distributed multiple images of children being raped and sexually abused.

During the sentencing hearing, Judge Don Torgerson twice cited Hoffman’s “privilege” as he ultimately decided not to require him to serve any additional jail time or pay a fine, despite prosecutors asking for prison.

During the hearing, the judge referred to the time Hoffman had already spent in jail, saying that “112 days is a lot of jail time. It’s a lot of jail time for someone your age who comes from some level of privilege.”

Conservative judges allowing literal child sex offenders off with a slap on the wrist. It's time to vote these people out and bring back the real Law and Order party.

I think I might be mirroring some posters on this forum...

 

[Bradskii]

Aidan Hoffman, 22, was sentenced Tuesday in Grand County after pleading guilty to two felony charges of sexual exploitation of a minor.

According to court documents, Hoffman possessed and distributed multiple images of children being raped and sexually abused.

During the sentencing hearing, Judge Don Torgerson twice cited Hoffman’s “privilege” as he ultimately decided not to require him to serve any additional jail time or pay a fine, despite prosecutors asking for prison.

During the hearing, the judge referred to the time Hoffman had already spent in jail, saying that “112 days is a lot of jail time. It’s a lot of jail time for someone your age who comes from some level of privilege.”

The judge's comments were clumsy. No doubt about that.

I don't think that a sentence should be used for retribution (although if I was the father of one of the children then I'd be planning my own retribution). But it can be used as a warning: 'Do this again and you can expect an even heavier sentence'. That doesn't always work. So as the man had been seeking treatment and if he was genuinely ashamed and contrite about what he'd done then there are other options.

That said, a heavy sentence is also meant to deter others. And this doesn't do that.

 

[Aryeh Jay]

Oh come on, privilege has its benefits. Epstein wasn't flying common folk to his island.

 

[DaisyDay]

Oh come on, privilege has its benefits. Epstein wasn't flying common folk to his island.

He was if they were young, pretty and malleable.

 

[Aryeh Jay]

He was if they were young, pretty and malleable.

Yes, but they weren't guests, more like amenities or party favors.

 

[loveofourlord]

The judge's comments were clumsy. No doubt about that.

I don't think that a sentence should be used for retribution (although if I was the father of one of the children then I'd be planning my own retribution). But it can be used as a warning: 'Do this again and you can expect an even heavier sentence'. That doesn't always work. So as the man had been seeking treatment and if he was genuinely ashamed and contrite about what he'd done then there are other options.

That said, a heavy sentence is also meant to deter others. And this doesn't do that.

abusers of this kind have the highest recitivisim rates, litreally abusing children some times gets you less time then people caught with drugs. I'm all for a repairative type of justice, but it's rediculoous how little time, destroy a kid for life, hmmm 2 years is a bit harsh.

This case it's child images/videos, it's causing the molestation and abuse of children by making a market. I'm not sure what the proper amount of jail time should be, but a few years and a mild slap on the wrist isn't enough. The amount of times I've seen people like chris hansen, alex rosen, and otehrs catch people 3-4 times and outright lie about stuff, I've come to have very little faith and trust in abusers. They will lie and say anything to get out of trouble.

 

[ThatRobGuy]

I'm assuming this is poor phrasing from the judge. I would hope "you're white and affluent, so you don't have to do hard time" isn't what he actually meant...but who knows, there's some terrible judges out there so it's possible.


From what I'm seeing in the article, it sounds like he was in possession of the materials, but didn't directly engage in said "activities"

Surprisingly, a lot of the guys who end up actually doing the abuse get slaps on the wrist as well.

Under-punishing seems to be a real problem with regards to those kinds of violations... I'm not sure why that's the case.


I'm wondering if in the case of Utah in particular, they still have some 'weak' statutes on the books for offenses of that nature due to their religious demographic history.