WELLINGTON, Utah, Dec. 5, 2022 (Gephardt Daily) — A man has been booked into the Carbon County Jail after police say he entered a church meetinghouse to talk with a bishop and, instead, followed a girl into a restroom and abused her.
Suspect James B. Snyder, 50, entered the East Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Wellington on Sunday morning “to meet with a church bishop,” his probable cause statement says. “During his time he spoke with church goers.”
At about 11 a.m., a girl in her early teens went into the women’s bathroom, the statement says.
“She had left a stall and proceeded to the sink to wash her hands when Mr. Snyder was standing in the female’s bathroom. (The girl) stated she did not get to dry her hands because Mr. Snyder had grabbed her by her right wrist and pushed her forcefully against the wall. She then explained, with his other hand he began to undo his pants.”
The girl told police she yelled for help and kicked Snyder in “his groin area and this caused her foot to become stuck in his pants,” which were partially lowered, she said.
“Mr. Snyder then began to drag her into a side room attached to the bathroom.”
The girl told police Snyder put his hand over her mouth and told her to be quiet. Once in the adjoining room, the suspect allegedly began trying to undress the victim.
“Her yells did not go unnoticed as a witness went into the bathroom and asked if everything was OK. (The girl) was able to leave the bathroom and ran to her caregiver and attempted to talk but being upset so much the caregiver did not understand what transpired,” Synder’s charging documents say.
“I spoke to the caregiver and she explained she too heard the yells, unaware of what was said but did see Mr. Snyder when he was in the hallway and she explained he said ‘I made a mistake,’ (and) she replied back ‘You sure did.'”
Church officials and Wellington Police officer Brian Judd located Snyder and took him into a church classroom.
Post Miranda, “Snyder lead (sic) officer Judd to believing that he had intentions of rape and complained of confusion,” arrest documents say.
Reminded of his Miranda Rights again at the Carbon County Sheriff’s office, Snyder requested an attorney and was not questioned further. He was charged on suspicion of:
- Child kidnapping, a first-degree felony
- Sexual abuse of a child, a second-degree felony
- Assault, a class B misdemeanor
Snyder was booked into the Carbon County Jail and ordered held on $100,000 bail.
