A former Mormon bishop from Mapleton has pleaded guilty to sexually abusing boys in 2014 when they were members of his congregation.
Erik Wayne Hughes, 51, was charged last month in 4th District Court with two second-degree felony counts of forcible sexual abuse that allegedly occurred in June 2014, as well as a count of tampering with a witness, a third-degree felony.
On Wednesday, he pleaded guilty to all three counts.
Sentencing is set for Oct. 10 before Judge Thomas Low. The forcible sexual abuse counts are each punishable by up to 15 years in prison, while the witness tampering count carries a potential zero-to-five-year term.
Defense attorney John Allan said Friday that Hughes’ intention in pleading guilty was to “try to put this thing to bed quickly so the boys don‘t have to go through any form of embarrassment ... and to take his punishment.”
Charging documents state that twice in June 2014, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints bishop touched the genitals of a teenage boy.
“[Hughes], at the time, was the victim’s LDS bishop, thereby occupying a position of special trust in relation to the victim,” charges state.
After Hughes learned the abuse had been reported to police, he approached a second alleged victim last month, a probable cause statement said, “and advised the victim that he might be contacted by police, and told that victim what to say to ensure [Hughes] would not get into trouble.”
Police said the second boy was also sexually abused by Hughes when he was a teenager and a member of Hughes’ LDS ward.
An LDS Church spokesman said in June when Hughes was arrested that he had been removed “from any position within the church.”