Former Utah elementary school substitute teacher, 63, is sentenced to at least six years in prison after sexually abusing multiple children as young as seven during class
- Max Bedel, 63, was sentenced on Friday after molesting six children in his class
- All victims were aged between seven and nine from Wasatch Elementary, Utah
- He told one victim he was ‘his favorite’ after molesting him twice in the same day
- Parents read emotional letters at the hearing detailing the damage Bedel caused
- He was ordered to serve to consecutive sentences of three years to life on Friday
A Utah elementary school substitute teacher was sentenced for between six years to life on Friday, after pleading guilty to sexually abusing multiple children during his lessons.
Max Bedel, 63, was teaching at Wasatch Elementary School in Clearfield in 2017, when he sexually assaulted six school boys between the ages of seven and nine, both over and underneath their clothing.
Court documents revealed that Bedel told one of the victims ‘he was his favorite’, after molesting him twice in one day.
He was arrested in October 2017 after a number of children came forward detailing abuse during class on September 27. Previous to his arrest, Bedel had no other criminal history.
Bedel molested six different children, all aged between seven and nine in 2017, during his time at Wasatch Elementary School in Clearfield, Utah
One child told police he felt ‘uncomfortable and unsafe’, according to documents.
Another child detailed that Bedel had touched him inappropriately at least two times prior to September 27. He said Bedel had tried to touch him on multiple other occasions as well, but the boy managed to block his advances by placing his arms over his lap.
The 63-year-old initially faced eight counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a child but was sentenced for just two counts as part of a plea deal.
During Friday’s hearing, the parents of Bedel’s victims read out emotional letters to the court detailing the irrevocable damage he has caused to their children.
‘He’s not the same boy,’ said one mother. ‘It’s unbelievably heartbreaking.’
The mother went on to ask the judge to give the harshest possible sentence to Bedel, because her son lives in constant fear he will find him and try to kill him.
Multiple students came forward alleging a multitude of abuse taking place on and before September 27, 2017 at the school (shown above)
Court documents reveal Bedel told one of his victims ‘he was his favorite’ after abusing him twice in the same day. He was arrested in October 2017 and released on bail after posting a $50,000 bond
A father of a different victim said his son can no longer use a public restroom without fear that Bedel might be lurking nearby.
Prosecutor Troy Rawlings described Bedel as an individual who poses an ‘unjustifiable public safety risk’.
Bedel’s attorney, Michael Langford said his client was ‘extremely remorseful’ for his actions and said he’d been ‘drinking heavily’ on the day of the abuse.
The claim was met with a series of outbursts from the victim’s parents watching on from the gallery, according to the Standard-Examiner.
He will serve to consecutive sentences of three years to life at the Utah Department of Corrections (shown above)
Residing over the case, Judge John Morris said teachers should set an example to their students, and that Bedel violated their trust.
He added Bedel’s claim of excessive drinking shouldn’t be viewed as a mitigating factor, but an aggravating one.
Led away in handcuffs, Bedel was sentenced to serve two consecutive terms of three years to life in prison.
He will serve his sentence at the Utah Department of Corrections.