Cedar City woman sentenced to 40 years to life for crimes involving child abuse4 min read

By Tracie Sullivan, For Iron County Today

A Cedar City woman was sentenced Tuesday to 40 years to life in prison for crimes involving child sexual abuse, in a hearing marked by emotional testimony and a sharp rebuke from the judge.

Angelica Rosalee Moody, 44, received the maximum possible sentence under Utah law after pleading guilty earlier this year to multiple felony charges including four counts of sodomy on a child and one count of a aggravated sexual assault, all first-degree felonies.

Fifth District Judge Meb Anderson ordered two prison terms — 25 years to life and 15 years to life — to run consecutively. Under this sentence, Moody will spend a minimum of 40 years in prison.

The announcement of the sentence came in a quiet courtroom. Moody sat at the defense table as attorneys on both sides made their final arguments.

Defense attorney Clifford Gravett asked the court to impose a concurrent sentence, citing Moody’s cooperation with law enforcement and her willingness to testify against her co-defendant.

“My client has and does accept responsibility for the role she played in the abuse perpetuated on the child victims in this case,” Gravett said. “She will live every single day for the rest of her life with the knowledge that at a critical and crucial moment, rather than standing up to hers and the children’s abuser, her own husband, she gave in, she participated and she took part.”

Gravett also cited her longstanding trauma and claimed his client had shown remorse.

“She simply does not understand and cannot comprehend how or why she was engaged in this activity,” he said.

Prosecutor Trajan Evans, representing the state, argued for the harshest sentence allowed under the law and became visibly emotional during his remarks, pausing briefly to compose himself before continuing.

“…the level and depth of the child sex abuse in this case is unprecedented, repulsive and evil,” Evans said.

Evans emphasized that the abuse involved multiple victims over a sustained period and asserted that Moody posed an ongoing threat. He pointed to her actions during her time in jail stating she had been written up by the jail staff for engaging in “sexual misconduct with another inmate.”

Moody addressed the court before sentencing, expressing regret but also referring to trauma in her own life and the influence of her husband, who also faces criminal charges in a related case. Her statement was delivered in an almost monotone voice, with little visible emotion.

“I hope this court will show mercy in its sentencing and take into account the abusive, toxic environment we lived in. Incarceration takes my physical freedom, but it does not take away my newfound mental and spiritual freedom I finally found,” she said.

“I promise to do my best. I am sorry for the pain and suffering I caused, and I look forward to healing from the 43 years of abuse I endured so that I can be the best person I am meant to be, and to be able to learn, and to be able to serve and support others in their suffering.”

Anderson responded to Moody’s crime with a forceful statement rejecting her claims that she lacked memory of the events or that she was not fully responsible for her actions.

“I do not believe that you do not remember these events, or that somehow you are not to blame for them,” Anderson said. “You have not taken accountability for your actions. And the notion that you do not remember these events or are somehow sorry for how they happened, or your claim that you are rehabilitated or not a threat to your children or others is just not supported by the evidence.

Like Evans, Anderson cited reports of inappropriate behavior while Moody has been in jail, including violations of facility rules and misconduct that raised further concerns about her rehabilitation.

“Since you have been in jail, you have continued deviance and twisted behavior. It has been reported by jail staff that you and another inmate have engaged in sexual related behavior that was flagged as highly inappropriate and unacceptable behavior ,” he said. “You have broken other jail rules as well.”

He also referenced prior incidents involving children previously in Moody’s care, noting that her actions represented a “betrayal of trust” and a continued threat to public safety.

“Miss Moody, you are a threat to society, let alone your children,” Anderson said. “I take solace in the fact that your children are in state custody and in therapy and counseling, maybe someday, hopefully, they can succeed despite the hell that you put them through…I hope you use your time at the Utah State Prison to attempt to rehabilitate yourself. This is the maximum possible sentence allowed by law.”

Moody was remanded to the Utah Department of Corrections following sentencing.

In a written statement following the hearing, Iron County Attorney Chad Dotson said:

“I am tremendously proud of the hard work of the prosecutors, detectives, the CJC (Children’s Justice Center) staff and advocates,” Dotson said. “This case involving the Moodys is one of the most depraved set of facts that I have ever dealt with as a prosecutor. I hope that each of them serve the rest of their lives in prison. And I pray the victims can someday heal and find peace.”