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Born: 1985
- Crime: 2000s, 2005, 2010s, in Kentucky,
- Church positions: Missionary,
- Criminal case(s): Convicted, Plea agreement, Prison,
- Civil lawsuit(s): Lawsuit v. LDS church,
Church officials allegedly failed to report abuse
Summary
July 22, 2005: Stark was sentenced to 30 years in prison in Idaho. We are working on updates to this case report; please contact us if you knew Stark.
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“BEATTYVILLE, Ky. (AP) — A Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints missionary who was accused of sexually abusing three people in 2005 while on his mission has been sued along with the church by the mother of one of the accusers.
The eastern Kentucky woman contends that Jason Stark’s conduct damaged her son psychologically, socially and mentally. The lawsuit says the boy, who is younger than 18, has suffered public scorn, ridicule and embarrassment because of Stark, who is from Idaho.
The case was filed in Lee County Circuit Court in December. The LDS Church asked last week that the case be moved to federal court.
The mother, who is from Lee County, is seeking unspecified damages in the case, the Lexington Herald-Leader reported Tuesday. The newspaper does not identify alleged victims of sexual assault.
Stark, who spent two years in Kentucky and Indiana, was charged in Lee County with two counts of sodomy and one count of attempted sodomy last February. He is scheduled for trial July 16.
The church said in March that Stark had “been released from his missionary duties” pending the outcome of the trial. He is out on bond.
“We abhor and condemn child abuse or mistreatment of any type in the strongest terms and have established a number of programs to assist local church leaders in preventing abuse and caring for victims,” the church statement said.
The church has asked that the lawsuit be dismissed, saying some of the claims might be barred by statute of limitations and that it cannot be held responsible for actions of someone not necessarily under its control.
The church also contends that the lawsuit violates its “rights of freedom of religion” as guaranteed under the U.S. and state constitutions.
Jon Fleischaker, who represents the church, said in a statement that Stark “continues to dispute the allegations and a criminal trial is pending.” Because of that, he said it would not be appropriate for the church to comment on the civil suit.
Michael Stidham, a Jackson lawyer who represents the mother and son, said he has not seen the church’s response to the lawsuit but that he does not understand how freedom of religion can translate to protection against lawsuits when a member of the church commits a crime.”
Sources
- Missionary, church sued over abuse ,
- Olinger v. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints et al,
- ‘You have ruined lives’: Registered sex offender sentenced to prison after sexually abusing boys,
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1. Missionary, church sued over abuse
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2. Olinger v. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints et al
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3. ‘You have ruined lives’: Registered sex offender sentenced to prison after sexually abusing boys
POCATELLO — A Utah man has been sentenced to 30 years in prison after accepting a plea deal in a case where police say he sexually abused six boys.
Jason Earnest Stark was originally charged with four counts of soliciting a child for sexual abuse, two counts of lewd conduct with a minor and one count apiece of attempted sexual exploitation of a child and allowing a child to witness the sexual abuse of a child.
According to court documents, Stark was first investigated in August 2023 after a man told Pocatello police officers he was sexually assaulted by him when he was a minor.
The man said there were more victims and an investigation began in which victims recounted how Stark would befriend them, buy them meals or gifts, show them poronography and later ask for sexual favors. Officers later learned Stark was a registered sex offender from Ogden, Utah.
Stark was arrested and charged, but in March, in exchange for a guilty plea to the felony counts of lewd conduct and felony injury to a child, the state dismissed the remaining charges. Prosecutors recommended a sentence of 10 years fixed and 20 years indeterminate.
District Judge Cody Brower told Stark that while he was going to accept the binding plea agreement, he does not think it’s fair.
Brower said there are different components in making a plea agreement that he, as a judge, is not privy to.
“I do take binding plea agreements with a certain amount of weight, because I’m not in that room. I’m not in that mediation when these things are being decided,” Brower said. “To be quite frank, Mr. Stark, based on your conduct, you likely deserve more than 10 years.I’m going to follow that agreement, but your conduct was egregious…you have ruined lives.”
Before handing down Stark’s sentence, one of the victims and their mother were given a chance to give impact statements.
The mother said two of her children’s lives were forever changed due to the actions of Stark. She said while there were many more victims, she was there to represent them in condemning Stark’s actions of grooming, manipulating and violating the trust of the victims.
The victim spoke next, discussing how Stark came into his life and began to groom him by giving him gifts in exchange for sexual favors. He said to this day he has struggled trusting people and dealt with a porn addiction as Stark showed the victims pornography.
“I deserve healing. I deserve to know that he can’t do this to somebody else,” the victim said.
After the victim impact statements, Bannock County Prosecutor Dan Taylor discussed Stark’s psychosexual evaluations, which place Stark in the moderate category for the risk of reoffending.
“We know that he’s already reoffended. This is the second time,” Taylor said.
Looking at how the state views grooming, Taylor said it’s potentially as harmful as physical assault, considering what Stark did to erode the self-defense mechanisms of his victims under the guise of being their friend.
“He went to the mall as a man in his early to mid-30s and played ‘Magic: The Gathering’ with kids who were in middle school,” Taylor said. “He didn’t do it because he wanted to make sure there was an adult there to be looking out for them. He did it so that he could take advantage of them.”
Taylor had issues with Stark’s responses to the psychosexual evaluations, in which he downplayed the seriousness of his actions. He said Stark claimed that out of the six victims, he had only sexually touched one, but that the six went after him after he kicked one of the victims out of his home.
“Why would these other kids say that these things happened, if they didn’t? They have no motivation to do so. This is him deflecting. This is him downplaying. This is him not taking responsibility,” Taylor said.
Stark’s attorney, Kyle May, said in those evaluations, Stark stated he has plans to seek treatment and overcome his addictions. May said the agreement is fair, and that has been agreed upon by the state and the court.
Stark did not give any statement when asked by Brower.
Brower spoke directly to Stark before sentencing him and referenced Stark’s polygraph. When he was questioned if he’d had sexual contact with one of the victims up to 100 times, he said no, but the polygraph showed a significant reaction.
“In layman’s terms, that means that you failed that question,” Brower said. “I find that you’ve harmed those children. I find that you did so without consideration of what it would do to them. I find that you are deserving of punishment and that this court must enter a sentence that will protect society.”
Brower also issued a civil judgment fine against Stark, which requires him to pay $10,000 to the victims in this case, with one victim being awarded $5,000. He was also fined $20,000 in court costs.
After imposing the Stark sentence, Brower acknowledged the victims in this case for the bravery they had shown in speaking out against Stark.
Brower told Stark, “Someday you’ll see the light of day again after you’re released from the Department of Corrections. Do not consider ever taking this action again.”
Documents
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Criminal case documents
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