By Tracie Sullivan, For Iron County Today
An Iron County man who admitted to sexually assaulting a woman and a young child was ordered Wednesday to serve two consecutive prison terms that will keep him behind bars for at least 30 years.
Christopher Lee Lescoe, 34, received sentences of 25 years to life for sodomy on a child and 5 years to life for rape.
Lescoe was initially charged with nine first-degree felonies, including two counts of rape, three counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a child and four counts of sodomy upon a child. He later pleaded guilty to one count of sodomy on a child and one count of rape as part of the resolution that led to the sentencing.
According to prosecutors, Lescoe disclosed the assaults earlier this year while serving a prison sentence for a 2019 aggravated arson case in Cache County.
During that disclosure, he also admitted to setting fire to the victim’s residence in February 2019, a separate incident from the Cache County arson. His statements prompted Cedar City Police to reopen the case and pursue the new charges.
Both victims, whose identities are being withheld due to the nature of the case, delivered statements during the hearing. The child, now a teenager, had her statement read aloud by a representative because she was unable to speak it herself.
“I don’t really like talking about what happened to me. I still don’t understand all of it myself,” she wrote. “When I was little, Chris was like a dad to me and I trusted him. But then he did things no grown up should ever do to a child.”
She described ongoing nightmares, difficulty trusting boys and men her age, and a desire to “feel safe” again.
The adult victim told the court she had been drugged and assaulted repeatedly and spoke about the years of guilt, fear, and confusion she has carried, along with the long-term effect the abuse has had on her family.
Iron County Attorney Chad Dotson asked the judge to impose the strongest sentence allowed under law. Dotson said the case involved “extraordinary harm,” including threats that kept the child silent for years.
Dotson told the court the victims likely would not have been able to come forward without Lescoe’s confession.
“I’m glad he found it within himself to confess, but even still, Judge, I think he needs to be incapacitated for the rest of his life,” he said.
Dotson grew emotional as he addressed the court, noting that the teen repeatedly referred to herself as “little” in her written statement. He told the judge she was “still little,” saying the case struck him hard because the victim is around the same age as his own children.
Fifth District Judge Matthew Bell agreed with Dotson and said the damage caused by Lescoe was severe and long-lasting. He ordered that the terms should run back to back and said he would recommend to the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole that Lescoe remain incarcerated for life.
Court records show that in 2017, Lescoe was part of a standoff with Cedar City law enforcement where he allegedly threatened officers and fired a weapon. The case led to a felony firearm discharge charge and additional misdemeanor offenses.
Lescoe remains incarcerated on a prior aggravated arson conviction and was transported from the Utah State Prison to appear in person for Wednesday’s hearing.