Utah resident Shayne Rowley was convicted of child sexual assault by a jury in the Montezuma County Combined Courts last week after an investigation that began two years ago.
The jury found Rowley guilty of sexual assault of a child by one in a position of trust with a victim under 15 years-old and as a part of a pattern of abuse. He was also convicted on aggravated incest.
Both are class three felonies and carry a potential four to 12 years in prison, possibly more if the perpetrator represents an extraordinary risk.
“The entire community came together to support the survivor of this abuse, including the Four Corners Child Advocacy Center, members of Montezuma County Social Services, and countless others. They showed up in force to let the survivor know they were not alone and were safe,” Justin Pierce, assistant district attorney for the 22nd Judicial District, said in a statement.
According to an affidavit from June 2024 outlining testimony from the victim and the victim’s mother, Rowley, a former truck driver who resided in Utah, visited the victim between routes, staying in the Baymont Hotel or picking them up for monthslong periods.
The affidavit details several instances of unwanted sexual contact and sexual assault said to be perpetrated by Rowley, including one incident at the duck pond in Cortez and several at the Baymont Hotel. The victim suspected their friends had similar experiences with Rowley.
The victim’s mom corroborated the victim’s experiences.
A Cortez police detective confirmed observing text messages from Rowley to the victim and the victim’s mother exhibiting controlling and verbally abusive behavior.
In his statement, Pierce thanked the young victim for their participation in the trial and commended the jury for their service.
“This verdict is another step forward in the joint efforts of our dedicated staff, the Cortez Police Department and community partners like the Four Corners Child Advocacy center – and countless others – to make this district safer for children,” Pierce said.
Rowley was previously arrested for sexual abuse of a child in 1999 and convicted on sexual assault in Salt Lake City in 2000. He was also arrested for domestic violence and commission of domestic violence in the presence of a child by Salt Lake City sheriff’s deputies in February 2002 and convicted of assault related to the incident in 2014.
avanderveen@the-journal.com
