Judge refuses to lower bail for Smithfield man arrested for sexually abusing a child

LOGAN — A judge has refused to lower bail for Andrew Facer, who is accused of physically and sexually abusing a child.

Judge Kevin Allen said nothing had changed since the 42-year-old Smithfield man was arrested, December 9. He ordered bail to remain at $125,000.

Facer appeared in 1st District Court Tuesday morning. He has been charged with one count of aggravated sexual abuse of a child, a first-degree felony, and five misdemeanors including two counts of voyeurism, along with assault, domestic violence and child abuse neglect.

After meeting with the attorneys for both sides, Judge Allen assigned Facer a new attorney, Mike McGinnis, when current public defender, Bryan Galloway, said he had a conflict of interest representing the defendant.

Galloway has already been assigned to represent <a href=”http://www.cachevalleydaily.com/news/local/article_63b467a0-b5c4-11e6-9e66-5b5ef9b02e5d.html” target=”_blank”>Dustin Mangum</a>, a relative of Facer’s through marriage, who was arrested in August on similar charges.

Galloway told the court, he had met with the defendant and his family. They claim that Facer never sexually abused the victim, and had already been meeting with clergy about the other allegations, reported to have happened a long time ago.

Police claim the victim knew Facer and that the allegations were uncovered by detectives while investigating the Mangum case.

Judge Allen ordered Facer to appear again in court January 9.

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