SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, April 5, 2019 (Gephardt Daily) — A man who admitted to having sex with a 15-year-old girl in both Salt Lake and Washington counties has been sentenced to a year in the Salt Lake County Jail.
Brandon Michael Cooke, 31, was sentenced on Northern Utah charges after accepting a deal, and pleading guilty to one count of rape, a first-degree felony.
In exchange for the plea, charges were dismissed for:
- Two additional counts of rape, a first degree felony
- Three counts of forcible sodomy, a first degree felony
Third District Judge James Blanch initially sentenced Cooke to 5-years-to-life in the Utah State Prison, but then reduced the sentence ordering Cooke to serve 365 days in jail.
In Washington County, Cooke still faces:
- Six counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, a second-degree felony
- Three counts of unlawful sexual activity with a minor, a third-degree felony
- Five counts of dealing with materials harmful to a minor, a third-degree felony
- Possession of a controlled substance, marijuana/spice, a class B misdemeanor
- Possession of drug paraphernalia, a class B misdemeanor
His trial is set for April 11, but court documents suggest Washington County charges may also be affected by the Salt Lake City plea deal.
