Multiple Victims - Pedro Hugo Rodriguez - Provo UT

PROVO — After eight hours of deliberation Friday in Provo's 4th
District Court, the jury announced the verdict of a Payson man who was
charged with sexually abusing five boys — guilty on all counts. Pedro
Hugo Rodriguez, 40, had faced 56 felony counts of aggravated sexual
assault, forcible sodomy and sodomy on a child. Thirty-five of the
counts were first-degree felonies as they involved children under 16 or
use of a weapon; the other 21 were deemed third-degree felonies. Many
of the crimes mandate prison time, said Utah County Attorney Donna
Kelly, who was happy with the verdict and said if anything, Rodriguez
was under-charged. Thursday Rodriguez had denied sexual relations with all but one boy, but the jury believed the boys' testimonies.
"The
boys were consistent with each other and themselves in their
statements," Kelly said. "Other than what he was doing to them at
night, they liked him. They had no motive" to falsely accuse him. Rodriguez
frequently played basketball and swam with the boys and even bought
them toys and clothes and paid them to work for him. But
prosecutors said the relationships turned sexual and violent, as
Rodriguez raped them and threatened to kill them if they refused. "During the day, it was Hugo's house of fun, but at night it turned into Hugo's house of horror," Kelly said.
Rodriguez was arrested in September, 2008, and Kelly said the past
18 months have been "grueling" for the boys and their families. Three
family members and one boy's tutor were present during the reading of
the verdict. Kelly said the verdict will bring some healing to the
families.
Other
families with boys who worked with Rodriguez have called Provo city
police, concerned for their child, Kelly said. But, she said she is
unsure if police have taken statements from any of them yet.
"He
(Rodriguez) is clearly a risk to the community and to young boys in the
community," Kelly said. "We hope he'll stay in custody his whole life."
Rodriguez will be sentenced April 27.