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RICHFIELD — A former staff member at a school for troubled youth in Sevier County is facing criminal charges accusing him of showing students pornography.
Daniel Stoddard, 45, of Richfield, was charged Thursday in 6th District Court with four counts of distributing materials offensive to a minor, a third-degree felony.
On March 25, a sheriff's detective was told by three students of Sorenson's Ranch in Koosharem that Stoddard showed them a pornographic video on his phone while he was working, according to the charges. A fourth student "went over to see what was happening and witnessed what Stoddard was showing the students on his phone."
Two of the students were 15 years old, and two were 17.
During an interview with the detective on April 10, Stoddard at first "denied showing students pornography." But after a "voice stress analysis" — a test meant to detect changes in voice patterns — "Daniel admitted to showing three or four pornographic video clips to students," the charges allege.
Stoddard told police he did not know the fourth student saw the video while he was showing the other three.
As of Friday, Stoddard's name was not listed on the school's website staff list.
