A Utah man arrested for child abuse that occurred more than 35 years ago

DAVIS COUNTY, Utah – A 75-year-old Payson man was arrested Monday and accused of sexually abusing multiple victims as children in incidents that occurred more than 35 years ago.

Alan Bassett, 75, was arrested on eight counts of sexual abuse of a child, all second-degree felonies.

The Davis County Sheriff’s Office shared that “several victims” came forward with allegations against Bassett in the fall of 2020.

The victims said Bassett sexually abused them between 1977 and 1989, when they were all between the ages of five and 10.

Arrest documents show the abuse occurred when Bassett and his family moved into a newly constructed home in Fruit Heights.

“Due to legal restrictions, several victims were unable to be charged,” the arrest documents said.

Five incidents of abuse were detailed in court documents in which individuals told police that Bassett had touched them inappropriately, with several incidents occurring at a birthday party hosted at Bassett’s home.

In an interview with police, Bassett admitted to sexually abusing children while he lived in Fruit Heights

“(Bassett) had difficulty remembering all the girls he had sexually assaulted during that time, but he did remember some and told me that if they said I did it, I did it,” the statement said. documents.

During the interview, Bassett could not remember the total number of victims he sexually assaulted, the documents state.

The Davis County Sheriff’s Office advised that those with additional information that may be helpful in the case or victims wishing to come forward can call Detective Pyles at 801-451-4403.

“It has been 40 years since some of these victims sought justice and we are pleased to tell these victims that Alan Bassett is off the streets,” Chief Deputy Taylor West said in a news release. “Detectives from our office have spent hundreds of hours identifying, locating and interviewing victims. We appreciate their work and the trust these victims had in sharing their stories. We remain committed to seeking justice for all victims, regardless of how much time has passed.”