This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
A 23-year-old Taylorsville man who admitted forcing teenage boys to expose themselves at skate parks by making threats or offering gifts was sentenced Monday to prison for up to life.
Keegan Nydegger, 23, had pleaded guilty in August to one count of attempted aggravated sexual abuse of a child. In exchange for his plea, prosecutors dismissed a dozen other charges, including forcible sodomy, forcible sexual abuse, several counts of lewdness and sexual battery.
On Monday, 3rd District Judge Bruce Lubeck sentenced Nydegger to three years to life in prison.
Nydegger approached at least three boys, ages 11 through 13, at a skate park in Salt Lake County last year, according to court documents. The boys told police that Nydegger bought them burgers, ice cream and other favors while he would drive them from skate park to skate park.
While he had the boys in his car, Nydegger would ask them to expose themselves, documents state. He told them "it's not gay to show, it's just gay to touch," the boys said.
If they refused, Nydegger would threaten to "call immigration" on the boys' families, the documents state.
Nydegger slapped the 11-year-old's butt and touched the penises of the two 13-year-old boys on several occasions, according to charging documents.
One boy told police that Nydegger asked him to perform sexual favors to "make some extra money." The boy refused.
Nydegger's roommate, an adult male who has a diminished mental capacity as a result of a traumatic brain injury, told police Nydegger had groped and raped him, too.
Nydegger has been in custody since his December 2012 arrest.