Booking photo for Tyler James Ray (Courtesy: Cache County Jail).
LOGAN — A 24-year-old Logan man has been sentenced to jail for sexually assaulting a woman and teenage girl several years ago. Tyler J. Ray was arrested last November and later accepted a plea deal.
Ray was sentenced during a virtual hearing in 1st District Court, appearing by web conference from his attorney’s office. He previously pleaded guilty to attempted rape, a first-degree felony; and sexual battery, a class A misdemeanor.
According to police, officers began investigating Ray after one of the victims reported being raped to officers. The woman, who is an acquaintance of the defendant, reported the crime occurred around September 2016, when Ray would have been around 20-years-old. She described that there was physical abuse during sexual and non-sexual moments in their relationship. She also claimed that he raped her multiple times while she told him “no” and cried.
Through the course of the investigation, detectives learned of a separate incident involving another woman. She described incidents where she was held down and sodomized around seven years ago, when she was a teenager and he would have been around 16-years-old. The second alleged victim was also an acquaintance.
During Monday’s sentencing, public defender Shannon Demler said this was a difficult case for everyone. He described how the crimes occurred while Ray was young.
One of the victims told the court how Ray had tried to repair what he had done to her. She asked for a shorter sentence, expressing that he would be a good citizen again.
The second victim did not echo the same request. She wrote a letter, read by a victim’s advocate, describing how Ray acted like he owned her. She also said the defendant had broken her, making her feel like she was nothing.
Judge Brian Cannell recognized the hurt and harm that Ray had caused the women. He expressed hope that they could heal and move forward with their lives.
Ray was ordered to report to jail immediately to begin serving a one-year sentence. He was also ordered to write letters of apology to the victims.
will@cvradio.com