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Judge sentences man to 70 years in prison for sexually abusing three young girls in Eagle Mountain

Posted at 3:25 PM, Aug 07, 2018
and last updated 2018-08-07 20:18:03-04

PROVO, Utah – The Eagle Mountain man who admitted to sexually abusing three young girls during sleepovers will spend the rest of his life in prison.

It was an emotional day for families representing the three victims of Jonathon Nixon. They told the judge he breached their trust and stole their child’s innocence.

Inside the Fourth District Courtroom in Provo, Judge Derek P. Pullan gave Nixon an opportunity to speak before sentencing.

“I’m prepared to go through with anything you’ve got for me today even if it’s the worst. I stand here in shame and guilt of what I’ve become.”

In June, the 33-year-old confessed to sexually abusing three girls – ages 4,6,7 over a four-year period. During the hearing, one victim’s mother called Nixon a monster.

“One of the mom’s described this was a house of horrors, just next door to them,” said Craig Johnson, Deputy Utah County Attorney.

Judge Pullan scolded Nixon for blaming the girls for “acting flirtatiously” toward him, leading to four years of abuse.

“Mr. Nixon, the children have been irreparably harmed by you. You have sexualized them in their infancy to serve your own selfish interests.”

The judge sentenced Nixon to 70 years in prison for 6 counts of sodomy on a child, and aggravated sexual abuse of a child.

“This is essentially a death sentence for him. He’ll be 103 before he even gets a parole hearing on this,” said Johnson.

The judge praised one of the victims, calling her a hero for standing up for her, and her two friends. Prosecutors are relieved the girls won’t have to endure a trial and re-live the horror they faced at the hands of Nixon.

“To be able to tell them they can get some closure, they can move on with their lives, get their girls in counseling,” said Johnson. “The young girls are young enough that I believe they’re resilient enough to get past this as horrible as this was.”