A 58-year-old Richmond man is facing felony charges after a teenage girl with autism told state child welfare workers that he touched her inappropriately and kissed her, according to court records. Brad Reed Deffinger was taken into custody on August 6 after Cache County sheriff's deputies executed a search warrant at his residence, and he now faces a second-degree felony count of forcible sexual abuse along with a Class A misdemeanor charge of unlawful kissing of a minor.
The case began in June, when the Cache County Sheriff's Office launched an investigation after the Division of Child and Family Services reported that a juvenile victim had disclosed being touched inappropriately and kissed by a man in his 50s named Brad, according to a probable cause statement cited by Cache Valley Daily. The alleged conduct stems from a series of interactions in Cache Valley in 2024. Under Utah Code Section 80-2-602, all adults in the state are mandatory reporters required to immediately report any reasonable suspicion of child abuse or neglect, according to the Utah Division of Child and Family Services — the statutory mechanism that appears to have triggered the state's intervention.
According to the probable cause statement, the victim told investigators that Deffinger came to her house wanting to get to know her and offered to help her practice getting comfortable with physical touch. She reported that he touched her inappropriately while she was unclothed. Investigators reported that Deffinger knew the victim had been diagnosed with autism, and he claimed he was attempting to help her, per the same account.
Forensic Interview and Interrogation Admissions
Investigators arranged a forensic interview with the victim at a Children's Justice Center. Utah's statewide network of centers conducts video- and audio-recorded interviews using trained professionals in child-friendly settings designed to minimize trauma while preserving evidence for prosecutors, according to Utah Children's Justice Centers. Under Utah Rule of Criminal Procedure 15.5, those recorded statements can be admitted as trial evidence if a judge finds them reliable and trustworthy, according to the law firm Brown Bradshaw & Moffat.
During interrogation, Deffinger reportedly admitted to kissing the victim on the lips about two years ago and acknowledged that the kissing was inappropriate, the probable cause statement says. He was booked into jail and has since been released on a $40,000 bond. As a condition of his release, he is prohibited from having contact with the alleged victim or any minors.
A Familiar Face in a Small Town
Richmond is a rural city of roughly 3,160 residents near the Idaho border in northern Cache County, according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates, and Deffinger was a recognizable figure there. City council meeting records show he previously served as Richmond's city arborist, handling municipal tree care and participating in public meetings on community affairs. Cache County Sheriff's Office deputies, who provide law enforcement services under contract for 14 municipalities across Cache Valley, including Richmond, led the investigation and search.
Facing Court in Logan
Deffinger is scheduled to appear again in court on August 24. Felony prosecutions originating in Cache County are adjudicated at Utah's First District Court in Logan, which also serves Box Elder and Rich counties. If convicted of the second-degree felony forcible sexual abuse charge, he could face one to 15 years in prison and fines up to $10,000 under Utah Code Section 76-5-404. The Class A misdemeanor charge of unlawfully kissing a minor carries a maximum penalty of up to 364 days in county jail and fines up to $2,500 under Utah Code Section 76-3-204.
It remains unclear what additional evidence, if any, was recovered during the search of Deffinger's home, and prosecutors have not indicated whether further charges may be filed as the case moves forward. As with all defendants, Deffinger is presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.
