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A co-founder of the genealogy company Ancestry.com was sentenced Friday to prison for up to 20 years for sexual abuse involving a 15-year-old girl.
Daniel D. Taggart, 51, of Highland, pleaded guilty in October to four counts of attempted forcible sexual abuse in Provo's 4th District Court
On Friday, Judge Claudia Laycock ordered the four zero-to-five-year prison terms to run consecutively, which is the maximum punishment she could impose.
Taggart originally was charged with two counts of object rape and one count of forcible sodomy, all first-degree felonies; one count of second-degree felony forcible sexual abuse; two counts of third-degree felony dealing in harmful materials to a minor; and two counts of supplying alcohol to a minor, class A misdemeanors.
In the early summer of 2014, Taggart's daughter had the 15-year-old friend spend the night at their house, where Taggart supplied them with alcohol as they played games, according to charging documents. Taggart gave the girl shot glasses and sex toys as prizes for the games, charges state.
After Taggart's daughter fell asleep, Taggart watched a pornographic video and sexually assaulted the girl, according to the charges.
A short time later, the girl again stayed at Taggart's home, and he again gave her alcohol, played the pornographic video and sexually assaulted her, charges state. Taggart's daughter confirmed details of incidents that occurred while she was awake, according to charges.
Taggart also was charged in connection with another girl who stayed over at his home, but those charges were dismissed as part of a plea deal.
The girl, 16, stayed the night in September 2014 and in January 2015, at which times Taggart provided her with alcohol, according to court documents. During a third sleepover in January 2015, Taggart again gave the girl alcohol, but also showed her sex toys and spoke about sex, charges state. Between Oct. 31, 2014 and March 1, 2015, Taggart sent sexually inappropriate texts to the second victim, charges state.
Taggart, who in 1997 co-founded Ancestry.com, was president for about one year, according to Taggart's LinkedIn profile. But a company spokesperson said last year that Taggart has not been a part of the company "for years."