A Utah truck driver who admitted locking his 12- and 14-year-old sisters inside the refrigerated compartment of his tractor-trailer walked out of court with probation instead of jail time after a plea deal that dropped the case from felonies to misdemeanors.
The sentence came on March 11 in the 4th District Court, where the judge ordered two years of supervised probation, counseling and parenting classes, then suspended one-year jail terms on each count. Authorities say the girls were discovered after a multi-vehicle crash and, despite the chilling circumstances, were not physically hurt.
Sentence, Plea and Conditions
According to KSL, 28-year-old Jacob Ortell Scott of Huntington pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated child abuse, both class A misdemeanors. Prosecutors and defense attorneys negotiated a plea agreement that reduced earlier felony allegations.
Judge Thomas Low imposed one-year jail terms on each count but suspended those sentences and instead placed Scott on two years of supervised probation. The court also ordered him to complete parenting classes and participate in family counseling as part of the conditions that must be met to keep him out of jail.
How Officers Found the Girls
Troopers were working a five-vehicle crash on Interstate 15 in Lindon when things took an unexpected turn inside one of the damaged rigs. A truck inspector noticed a slight gap in the trailer door, and a trooper reported seeing "two sets of eyes" staring back through the opening, which prompted them to open the refrigerated compartment, FOX13 reported.
Inside, investigators found the two girls, ages 12 and 14. They told officers they had been riding in the trailer since leaving Huntington, a drive of roughly two hours, and said this was not the first time they had been transported that way, according to authorities.
Trailer Conditions and Timeline
KSL noted that the thermostat for the refrigerated trailer had been set at about 30 degrees Fahrenheit. When officers opened the compartment, a thermometer inside showed a temperature closer to 50 degrees.
Investigators said the girls had been locked in the trailer for more than three hours by the time troopers found them. Court documents and charging papers had originally accused Scott of first-degree felonies, but those counts were resolved through the plea deal that resulted in the misdemeanor convictions described by KSL.
Legal Context
Under Utah law, aggravated child abuse can range from a misdemeanor to a felony depending on the accused person’s mental state. Conduct committed with criminal negligence can be treated as a class A misdemeanor, while reckless or intentional behavior can elevate the charge to a felony. Those tiers, spelled out in the state statute, help explain how prosecutors can agree to reduced charges in plea negotiations. The full language is available in the Utah Code.
Officials' Remarks and Next Steps
Utah Highway Patrol officials said the girls were frightened but uninjured and that investigators did not believe the incident was related to trafficking, FOX13 reported.
Scott must now follow all probation terms and complete the ordered programs. If he fails to comply, the court can reinstate the suspended jail time.
For now, the plea deal closes this chapter in the court record, even as it underscores the dangers of hauling people in enclosed cargo spaces and the wide discretion prosecutors and judges exercise in child-endangerment cases. Local authorities continue to lean on road-safety enforcement and public tips in hopes of preventing similar incidents on Utah highways.
