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Therapist arrested, accused of sexually abusing teen client

Posted at 9:45 PM, Oct 31, 2013
and last updated 2013-10-31 23:45:52-04

CENTERVILLE, Utah – A clinical social worker was arrested after he was accused of sexually abusing a teenage client.

Scott Andrew Peterson, 36, was booked into the Davis County Jail Wednesday, and on Thursday the District Attorney upped the charges against the man from two counts of felony sex abuse to three counts, and also added a lewdness charge.

Assistant Chief Paul Child of the Centerville Police Department said the alleged incident is made worse by the suspect’s position of trust over the victim, a girl who was 16-years-old at the time.

“There’s a trust there, and when something like this happens there’s definitely a break in that trust, and it is an increased crime to do these kinds of things if you are in those positions of trust,” he said.

Police said Peterson was the owner and operator of Therapy on the Fly, a clinic located at 1199 South Main St. in Centerville. Officials said the alleged offences occurred at that location between March and June.

Police said they were made aware of the allegations by a bishop with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who reported the incident after the victim told him about what happened.