Prosecutors in Salt Lake County have charged William Del Draney, 77, a West Jordan hypnotherapist who worked under the business name Sugar House Hypnotherapy, with a long-running series of sexual-assault offenses they say stretch back nearly two decades. Authorities allege the conduct involved clients during hypnotherapy sessions and say multiple people have now come forward. Draney is scheduled to appear in the 3rd District Court on June 3.
According to ABC4 Utah, prosecutors filed a criminal information charging Draney with 11 counts of forcible sexual abuse and nine counts of forcible sodomy. The filing is based on reports from five alleged victims, and officials say it could be just the opening chapter of the case.
Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill told ABC4 Utah that the allegations "show a pattern of someone in a special position of trust preying on vulnerable people." The outlet also reports that investigators uncovered police entries tied to the investigation dating back to 2007 and that three additional potential complainants could not be charged because their alleged incidents were time-barred in 2007, 2013, and 2014.
About the practice
Draney operated a small private practice under the name Sugar House Hypnotherapy, which appears in local business records and on a practice website. The site lists services and contact information, and West Jordan's municipal business list includes both Sugar House Hypnotherapy and Draney's name, confirming the business presence in the city.
Legal timeline and next steps
Prosecutors say the information was filed using reports from five alleged victims, and investigators have told news outlets they believe there may be additional people who have not yet been identified. With arraignment set for early June, upcoming court filings and pretrial hearings will determine whether more charges are added as the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office continues reviewing the case.
Where survivors can get help
Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact West Jordan police. Survivors and witnesses can also reach out to the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Victim Services program, which offers advocacy, referrals, and support throughout the criminal process. The DA's office maintains a victim-services phone line and lists local resources for people affected by sexual assault.
How this fits a broader pattern
The allegations against Draney surfaced amid other high-profile Utah cases involving clinicians accused of abusing patients, including a recent prosecution in which investigators said a psychologist secretly recorded teen clients, according to reporting by KSL. Those cases have drawn renewed attention to oversight in private therapy settings and to the safeguards that are supposed to protect people seeking care.
