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PRICE — A former high school golf coach is headed to prison for sexually abusing a student, who was also a member of the golf team.
The abuse occurred for about a year and a half.
Kenneth George Otani, 55, of Helper, was sentenced Wednesday to two concurrent terms of one to 15 years in the Utah State Prison.
"I have been a prisoner of my own life," the victim, now 21, said during the sentencing hearing. "You took away my innocence, my childhood, the last of me being a kid."
Otani was originally charged last year with object rape and forcible sodomy, first-degree felonies, and forcible sexual abuse, a second-degree felony. In February, he pleaded guilty to forcible sexual abuse and a reduced charge of forcible sodomy, a second-degree felony, as part of a plea deal. In exchange, the object rape charge was dropped.
Otani began grooming and later abusing his victim when she was 16 in 2018 and a member of the Carbon High School golf team. In addition to being her coach, Otani was also a private golf instructor for the girl.
The girl estimated she was abused at least 100 times over the course of her high school years, according to police. On some occasions, Otani would arrange private golf lessons to be held at his house and in his bedroom, the girl told the court. And on team trips, he would have a key to the girl's room.
Otani also told the girl that if she were to tell anyone what was happening that he would kill himself. Because of that, the girl said she was forced to act as if nothing was wrong around her friends and family in order to "protect a lie."
The woman, who addressed the court by calling in from a remote location, says she is still struggling today because of what happened and has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. She says she can no longer trust any man and Otani took away from her a sport that she enjoyed.
"I can no longer golf as it causes me severe anxiety and stress," the woman told the judge, while also addressing Otani. "You manipulated me and suppressed my voice. … You deserve to know what it's like being a prisoner, to every day be under someone else's control."
The woman says she was going to college on a golf scholarship. Now she says she can't play anymore and doesn't know how she will be able to pay for her college education.
The woman's father also addressed the judge and her mother submitted a letter that was read in the courtroom. Both talked about the victim shaming they have felt from the community since it was revealed that the popular golf instructor was under investigation.
"I don't care what people in this community think or say," her father said. "I know no parent alive that would be OK with what Ken did to my daughter. It's disgusting."
"Why did you choose our family to destroy? All we did was show you kindness and friendship," the mother's letter stated, noting that Otani used to be good friends with the woman's family.
The mother said Otani preyed on her daughter, manipulated the entire family and gave them all "a permanent trauma tattoo."
"We trusted Kenneth to be our coach and family friend. Instead, we let her have access to a monster," the mother said.
Both prosecutors and a presentence report prepared by Adult Probation and Parole recommended that the judge deviate from the state sentencing matrix guidelines — which called for Otani to serve a little less than a year in jail — and instead send him to prison.
"This is a case that a deviation from the matrix is warranted given the position of special trust he occupied," said Carbon County deputy district attorney Dominique Kiahtpes said. "These positions call for the honor and privilege of shaping young lives. ... The last thing that parents need to worry about is if their children are becoming victims of their athletic coaches."
Kiahtpes says the girl felt like she couldn't tell Otani to stop because she would end up missing out on her athletic career and potential scholarships. But now, "golf is no longer enjoyable, it's a reminder of darker days."
Defense attorney Greg Law, however called the presentence report inaccurate, inadequate and incomplete.
Law argued that the sentencing process needs to be fact-based and objective and said evidence-based sentencing policies need to be relied on. Sentences should not be subjective or based on emotions, he said.
"We shouldn't be sending messages to the community," Law said.
Law noted that Otani does not have a criminal history and that an evaluation conducted prior to sentencing showed he was at low risk to reoffend. He also argued that the woman was the only victim and that the abuse didn't start until she was 17, even though the state says the inappropriate conduct began when she was 16.
Before being sentenced, Otani made a brief statement, saying he hopes the woman can now lead a happy life.
"I am sorry for what I have done and for my actions," he said.
But 7th District Judge Jeremiah Humes said he agreed with prosecutors that while the student was the only direct victim, her family members were indirect victims of Otani's conduct. He also noted that being in a position of special trust was significant, and the woman endured substantial psychological abuse.
Furthermore, Humes pointed out that Otani was already avoiding a potential life sentence by getting a plea deal and having a forcible sodomy charge reduced to a second-degree felony.
"I don't think a short jail term will give you accountability," Humes said. "There has to be accountability."
As he sentenced Otani to concurrent terms of one to 15 years in prison on each count, he made a point to say that the sentence was not meant to send a message, "That is the reason I'm not making them consecutive (sentences)."
"No matter what I might do here today there are no winners, there is only devastation and sadness," Humes said. "Nothing I do here today will make this right.
"I hope today will bring some measure of closure and allow you to move forward with your lives," he told the woman and her family, while also telling the woman that he hopes she won't let her future be defined by what Otani did.
Humes also wished Otani the "best of luck" and told him this was his "opportunity to decide how you'll move forward," before ordering him to be immediately taken into custody and transported to prison.
