ST. GEORGE — A defendant was sentenced on two first-degree felony charges during a hearing held Thursday in a case involving the rape and sexual abuse of a 9-year-old child.
The defendant, 41-year-old Travis Jesse Regg, appeared for a sentencing on two first-degree felony charges – one count each of sodomy on a child and rape of a child — during a hearing held Thursday in 5th District Court in St. George.
The defendant’s wife, Laura Ann Regg, who is also the youngster’s mother, previously admitted to participating in the crime and ultimately was sentenced to serve 65 years in prison.
At the time the case was filed in April 2022, Travis Regg was charged with 14 first-degree felony charges that included seven counts of sodomy upon a child, four counts of rape of a child and three counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a child. He was also charged with misdemeanor lewdness, as indicated in charging documents filed at the time.
The remaining charges were dismissed in exchange for the defendant’s Alford plea, which is the same as a guilty plea for the purpose of sentencing. The defendant maintains their innocence but admits that the prosecution’s evidence would likely result in a guilty verdict if the case went to trial.
The investigation
The case was filed following an investigation that was opened in January of 2022, prompted by a call from an out-of-state relative who reported that a 9-year-old family member for whom she was caring had been sexually molested while living in St. George. The abuse began when the child was 9 years old and continued until age 11, according to the probable cause statement filed with the courts.
Regg and his wife, Laura Ann Regg, 35, lived with the child at the time and according to court records, both worked in concert during the incidents of sexual abuse, which included rape and sodomy of the child. During one incident, Regg reportedly drugged the child by injecting her with a substance to dull the pain of the abuse.
The child was told not to tell anyone, “or else they would go to prison,” and it wasn’t until the young girl moved out of state that she disclosed the abuse to a family member.
Reggs codefendant is first to be sentenced
Laura Regg, the child’s mother, was the first to be sentenced in the case for admittedly taking an active role in the assaults on the young girl. While she faced the same 14 charges initially filed as her codefendant, she pleaded guilty to three of them in July 2022. She was sentenced to serve 25 years to life on the two first-degree felonies and 15-to-life on one second-degree felony. The sentences were ordered to run consecutively, meaning she will not be eligible for parole until she serves 65 years, barring an appeal or early release by the Board of Pardons and Parole.
District Judge G. Michael Westfall, who presided over the 2022 hearing and who has since retired from the bench, addressed the child’s mother by saying it was mind-boggling that anyone, including a mother, could treat their child like that. He went on to say, “Ma’am, there are very few things that are the epitome of evil when it relates to children, and this has been my opportunity to see that.”
A sentencing hearing 2 years in the making
District Judge John J. Walton presided over the hearing Thursday, while prosecutor Lane Wood represented the state and defense attorney Trevor Terry represented Travis Regg.
One of the victim’s guardians said that Regg and his wife drugged and sexually assaulted the girl and then beat the child’s younger brother with a 2×4 “that had his name written on it.” He also said, “Those are my dead brother’s kids.”
He closed by saying, “I’m hoping this judge decides to lock you up for the rest of your life, not only because you deserve it, but because no child, including your own, will ever be safe if you’re allowed to roam free.”
No charges were filed in connection with the child’s younger brother since he suffered traumatic head and other injuries from the abuse that left him too traumatized to be interviewed. The extent of the injuries and trauma suffered was so severe it resulted in the child becoming “nonverbal” shortly before returning to his guardians living back east, according to information obtained during an earlier hearing.
During sentencing, the prosecutor said the state was asking that Regg serve 25-to-life on each of the counts and that the sentences run consecutive, based upon the crimes committed in this case, “which are horrendous,” he said.
The recommendation was also based on the defendant’s extensive criminal history that included “multiple” victim crimes. And, after reviewing the defendant’s supervision history, the prosecutor said, it became clear that Regg has never been successful on probation or on parole.
Wood also said that Regg entering into the Alford plea speaks to the defendant’s claims of innocence, which also shows a lack of ownership of his behavior and his lack of remorse.
“I think that consecutive sentences are necessary for the gravity of his crimes,” Wood said, and to ensure that Regg would never be able to perpetrate similar crimes on another child ever again.
Terry said it was obvious, as is understandable with these types of crimes, why the state would take that position, even though he and his client did not agree with some of the allegations in the case. Even so, Terry said his client understood he had little chance of being acquitted if the case went to trial, nor did he want to put the child through any further trauma by going to trial in the case, which is why Regg entered the Alford plea.
The attorney added it was not his client’s intent to absolve himself from his involvement in the incidents, or from failing to protect the child, “especially when her mother was obviously not willing to do that,” Terry said.
Terry also said his client’s involvement in the crimes “demand a prison sentence” and asked that the sentences be run concurrently to incentivize his client, not for his own mercy, Terry said. Such a sentence would serve as more than just a deterrent, and one that would allow Regg to make some semblance of amends and perhaps serve as an example to others of the devastation these cases can have on the families involved.
“Let him be more than a cautionary tale,” Terry added.
To that, the judge said it was not likely that Regg could be any help to other offenders if he took no responsibility for the crimes he was pleading to.
To Regg, Walton said that based on the gravity and circumstances of the offense, in addition to the criminal history and rehabilitative needs, it would be “highly unlikely that you will ever live another day outside of the prison. But you have absolutely no chance of that if you don’t take responsibility for your actions and seek appropriate treatment.”
The judge then sentenced Regg to serve 25 years to life on each charge and ordered the sentences to run consecutively. Walton also said he would also recommend that Regg “serve every day of those sentences.” While the decision of how much time the defendant spends in prison is ultimately left up to the Board of Pardons and Parole, Regg was ordered to serve 50 years in prison. Barring an appeal, that means he will not be eligible for parole until he is 91 years old.
Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2024, all rights reserved.