Authorities say a Draper home became a site of years-long abuse for children living there, with beatings and bizarre punishments allegedly doled out by 32-year-old James Maurice Roberts. He was arrested Monday in Draper and booked into the Salt Lake County jail, where he remains while investigators and child-welfare workers continue digging into the case.
According to police, children in the home reported being struck repeatedly and forced to endure harsh discipline, including being made to stand on one foot for hours at a time. Detectives say those claims are now central to a growing investigation into what was happening behind closed doors.
The case started after Utah's Division of Child and Family Services notified Draper police that a therapist had reported a male living in the home disclosed ongoing abuse on June 11, as reported by ABC4. Officers detained Roberts and questioned him at a local hospital, where he denied the allegations during that interview, the outlet states. Police records also show that multiple DCFS case files had already been opened involving the household.
What Investigators Say Happened
Detectives interviewed four children who, according to a booking affidavit, separately described being hit with two different belts: a brown belt that eventually broke and a black leather belt with metal bumps, per KSL. The affidavit says the children also reported being struck with household items like a hanger and a spatula.
The kids told investigators they were sometimes forced to stand on one foot in a corner for hours. Two of them said Roberts would throw a shoe at them if they lowered their raised foot. One child reported that a thumb was dislocated or broken while being hit, and that Roberts allegedly instructed them to tell medical staff the injury came from falling off a bike.
Charges And Custody
Draper police list possible crimes under investigation that include child torture, a first-degree felony, along with reckless aggravated child abuse and witness tampering, both third-degree felonies, according to ABC4. Salt Lake County Jail records indicate Roberts is being held without bail after investigators expressed concern that he might retaliate against victims or relatives who reported the alleged abuse.
How Utah Law Treats Child Torture
Under Utah law, child torture is defined as a first-degree felony that generally carries a mandatory minimum prison term of at least 10 years and can include a potential life sentence for severe or prolonged conduct, according to the Utah Code. The statute, enacted in 2025, is aimed at conduct that causes serious injury in an exceptionally cruel or depraved way or that occurs repeatedly over an extended period, and it limits judicial discretion in most sentencing decisions.
Backdrop: Utah's Child-Welfare System Under Fire
The arrest lands in the middle of an intense public debate over how Utah handles child-abuse reports, as the state's Division of Child and Family Services faces scrutiny over its resources and investigative authority. Recent high-profile cases, including the death of Gavin Peterson and the outcry that followed, have fueled calls for reform and dominated local coverage, as noted by the Deseret News.
What Happens Next
The Salt Lake County attorney's office will decide whether to file formal charges against Roberts. If prosecutors move forward, the case would proceed to an arraignment and then a preliminary hearing to determine whether it goes to trial. Draper police are asking anyone with additional information to contact the department as they complete interviews and gather records related to the alleged abuse.
