A University of Utah employee is facing felony charges after prosecutors say he sexually abused a teenage patient in a campus health care setting.
Prosecutors have charged 30-year-old Parker Stephen Lewis of Murray with two counts of forcible sexual abuse, and the case is now pending in Third District Court.
According to charging documents described by KSL, investigators opened an inquiry after surveillance footage allegedly showed Lewis entering the girl's room on multiple occasions in September. The documents state that on Sept. 11, cameras recorded 12 separate visits to the room, each lasting from about one to 11 minutes. Another visit on Sept. 25 reportedly lasted roughly 40 seconds. Prosecutors filed the two felony counts earlier this week, according to the report.
In a prepared statement to KSL, the University of Utah said the incident "involved an employee and a patient in a health care setting" and that "the employee was immediately placed on administrative leave pending results of an investigation and is no longer employed." The university added that it is "committed to providing safe, compassionate care" and is cooperating fully with law enforcement and internal investigators.
What the Charge Means Under Utah Law
Under Utah law, forcible sexual abuse involves nonconsensual touching or other sexual contact of a person 14 or older and is generally classified as a second-degree felony. As outlined in Utah Code 7 76-5-404, which is published on FindLaw, a conviction can carry a potential prison sentence ranging from one to 15 years. The offense can be elevated to a first-degree felony if serious bodily injury is involved.
Campus Context and Next Steps
The criminal case will be handled in the Third Judicial District, which oversees felony prosecutions in Salt Lake County, according to the Utah Courts. The University of Utah has faced intense scrutiny over campus-related sexual assault cases in recent years, including a 2020 case involving a football player that led to additional investigations and university action, as reported by the Deseret News.
Authorities say the investigation into Lewis remains active, and anyone with information is urged to contact investigators. For now, the case is moving through the court system as prosecutors pursue the two felony counts.
