Conversion Therapist Sentenced to 15 Years in Jail

Scott Dale Owen, a former therapist who specializes in counselling gay men who suffer from feelings of same-sex attraction, admitted to unconsensual sexual behavior with patients during treatment sessions.

The 66-year-old of Falk, Spain, Utah, will serve at least 15 years in prison after being sentenced to three convictions of forced sodomy.

Owen worked at Provo’s Canyon Counseling Center. He reportedly instructed previous patients that sexual behavior was part of their treatment, NBC affiliate reported KSL-TV.

The three accusations stem from alleged sexual abuse of two men who sought treatment for “unnecessary same-sex attraction” between 2010 and 2017.

In one case, Owen said he needed to approach patients who began treatment in 2016, and that each session would “become more and more physical.”

The man insisted that Owen would assure him that he was making progress, even if the others didn’t understand the treatment.

In another case, the man Owen began treatment in 2010 said he said he was spiritually urged to work with him, focusing on intimate and spiritual relationships.

According to the accusation documents, while dealing with men, Owen also served as a spiritual leader for both, informing them that their physical actions were in line with religious standards, while others gave them that God gave them to be deemed morally wrong in accordance with the teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Police spoke with at least 12 other clients who Owen allegedly sexually abused while the aim was to implement therapy designed to combat same-sex attraction.

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In November 2023, Owen was asked to surrender herself to the police, but she did not show up.

He was later taken into custody after a four-hour standoff on US Route 89 near Thistle, Utah, after police found him in a car with a gun. He was charged with four counts of forced sodomy and six counts of “object rape.”

Owen pleaded guilty to a three-count forced sodomy (first-degree felony) in connection with the aforementioned two male clients.

Owen also entered a contrarian plea that he had reduced from the worsening sexual abuse of a child as he allegedly rubbed and touched the body of a 13-year-old girl he was treating, and his breasts.

The child reportedly asked Owen for therapy in 2007 to deal with the death of his parent, and Owen said he told her to sit on his lap to have her “religious authority” enter her and not to feel sad.

Judge Craig Powell, Utah’s 4th District Judge, will run in a row, with Owen three five-year terms. Given his age and the harshness of his sentence, he will live his final days in prison.

The sentence for charges relating to a 13-year-old female patient was ordered to run at the same time as the other charges.

No charges were filed regarding the other patient allegations against Owen. Because the restrictions laws were passed by the time those cases occurred, and reported that they were passed during Owen’s arrest. Salt Lake Tribune and Propublica.

Salt Lake Tribune and Propublica Previously reported About several other patients Owen, a career of more than 20 years as a therapist, claimed to have abused his authority to use them during a conversion therapy session.

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Several men who were members of the LDS Church claimed that the church introduced Owen and used the funds to pay for the session where Owen was allegedly touched them inappropriately.

Owen gave up his treatment license in 2018 after several patients complained of inappropriate touching with state authorities.

He negotiated a settlement with the Utah licensing department and agreed to waive the license under which he did not admit inappropriate conduct. The allegations against him were not investigated by police and were not widely known. Tribune.