DAVIS COUNTY, Utah — A 75-year-old Payson man was arrested Monday and is accused of sexually abusing multiple victims in incidents that happened more than 35 years ago.
Alan Bassett, 75, was arrested on eight counts of sexual abuse of a child, all second-degree felonies.
The Davis County Sheriff's Office shared that "several victims" came forward in the fall of 2020 with allegations against Bassett.
The victims said Bassett sexually abused them between the years of 1977 and 1989 when they were all between the ages of five and ten years old.
Arresting documents detail that the abuse happened when Bassett and his family moved into a newly built home in Fruit Heights.
"Due to statutory limitations, several of the victims could not be charged," arresting documents read.
Five instances of abuse were detailed in court documents where individuals told police that Bassett touched them inappropriately, with several of the incidents happening at a birthday party hosted at Bassett's home.
In an interview with police, Bassett admitted to sexually abusing children during the time he lived in Fruit Heights
"[Bassett] struggled to remember all of the girls he sexually abused during the time but did recall several of them and stated to me if they said I did it, I did it," documents state.
During the interview, Bassett could not recall the total number of victims he sexually abused, documents state.
The Davis County Sheriff's Office shared that those with additional information that may be helpful in the case or victims who wish to come forward should call Detective Pyles at 801-451-4403.
“It has been 40 years that some of these victims have sought justice and we’re happy to tell these victims that Alan Bassett is off the streets,” said Chief Deputy Taylor West in a release. “Detectives with our office put in hundreds of hours in identifying, locating, and interviewing victims. We appreciate their work and the trust these victims had in sharing their stories. We remain committed to seeking justice for all victims, regardless of the time that has passed.”
