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Former therapist faces six new charges in child sexual abuse case

By Ashtyn Asay - | Oct 19, 2022

Harrison Epstein, Daily Herald

The Utah County Sheriff's Office logo is shown behind Sheriff Mike Smith during a press conference at his office in Spanish Fork on Wednesday, June 1, 2022.

A former therapist, already charged in an ongoing investigation into alleged ritualistic child sex abuse, now faces six additional charges.

New charges were filed Tuesday against Provo resident David Lee Hamblin, 68, of six counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a child, a first-degree felony. The charges were filed in the Sixth Judicial District Court in Manti.

According to the Utah County Sheriff’s Office, the latest victim contacted UCSO detectives earlier this month and told them they were repeatedly sexually abused by Hamblin in the early 1990s at his home in Spring City.

“The victim disclosed to Detectives that during these sessions Hamblin made the victim masturbate Hamblin. The victim also disclosed that Hamblin forcibly sexually abused the victim,” reads a statement from the UCSO. “The victim also described that Hamblin administered religious blessings during some of the therapy sessions.”

The victim stated that they disclosed the abuse, but their allegations were not taken seriously because of both Hamblin’s standing in the Spring City community, and his involvement in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

“The victim also described being afraid that Hamblin would cause the victim injury should the abuse be disclosed to anyone outside the therapy sessions,” reads a statement from the UCSO. “Investigators have been able to corroborate this victim’s statements with other witnesses.”

On Sept. 28, Hamblin was charged in Fourth Judicial District Court in American Fork with three counts of sodomy of a child, a first-degree felony, one count of rape of a child, a first-degree felony, two counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a child, a first-degree felony, and one misdemeanor count of lewdness involving a child.

According to charging documents, these offenses took place in 1986-1987, and again in 1992.

Hamblin was previously arrested in December 2012 in Provo and charged with 18 first-degree felonies, including multiple counts of rape of a child, sodomy on a child, and aggravated sexual abuse of a child, which allegedly took place throughout the 1990s. These charges were later dismissed in March 2014 “without prejudice,” meaning that they had the potential to be refiled.

Hamblin has not yet been booked on the charges filed Tuesday, and is still being held without bail in the Utah County Jail.

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