Image
© Cache County Sheriff's officeCody C. Smith
A former Utah police officer, who changed his plea to no contest mid-trial, is facing life in prison for forcing a teenage girl to have sex with multiple teen boys over several years, starting when she was thirteen, the Deseret News is reporting.

Cody C. Smith, 40, of Logan, pleaded no contest Monday to two counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a child, each charge carrying a sentences of 6 years to life in prison. Prosecutors have indicated they will seek consecutive sentences for Smith, who will ask the judge to have the sentences run concurrently, according to court records.

Following his plea, Smith requested release "to get his affairs in order," however District Judge Brian Cannell ordered Smith to be taken into custody immediately "due to the nature of the offenses."

According to the original arrest warrant, Smith took the 13-year-old girl to his home and forced her to "go upstairs and start to undress, kiss and have sex" with a 13-year-old boy. The boy reportedly told Smith he was "LDS and naive" but Smith kept entering the room to provide instructions, forcing them to have sex.

Court documents state this scenario was repeated about six times through 2012.

Between January 2013 and February 2014, Smith forced the girl to have sexual relations with three other boys. In each case, Smith would "consistently" tell the boys to "go upstairs and have sex" with the girl, according to the charges. Police state that, in most cases, Smith would yell instructions to the couple through the door.

One boy told investigators he complied because he "felt like that was the only way he was going to get out of there, because it was late and it was a school night," according to court documents.

On another occasion, Smith told the teen couple to have sex while he left to get food. When he returned they told him they had complied, but he didn't believe them and made them have sex before he would feed them.

Prosecutors asked for a special setting for his March 11 sentencing, noting that there are a lot of victims and family members who have indicated they would like to address the court that day.

Smith also previously served as a deputy in the Cache County Sheriff's Office.