Smithfield man waives preliminary hearing and pleads not guilty to sexually abusing child

LOGAN — A 43-year-old Smithfield man, accused of physically and sexually abusing a child, waived his right to a preliminary hearing. Andrew Facer also entered pleas of not guilty to the six charges against him.

Facer appeared in 1st District Court Tuesday morning. He was scheduled for the hearing, where prosecutors would present their evidence and a judge would determine if he would be bound over for trial.

Public defender Mike McGinnis told the court, he and Facer thought it was in their best interest to waive the hearing. He asked the court to schedule a pre-trial conference in a couple weeks, while they work out a possible plea agreement.

Police arrested Facer in December on suspicion of felony sex abuse of a child and misdemeanor physical abuse. The allegations allegedly occurred in recent years and involved a victim who knew the defendant. He was later 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.

Detectives questioned Facer while investigating a Richmond man, Dustin Mangum, who was arrested last year on similar allegations. The two men reportedly know each other through marriage.

In August, Mangum was sentenced to at least 21-years in prison after the 39-year-old previously pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a child, a first-degree felony

During Tuesday’s court appearance, Judge Kevin Allen scheduled a pretrial conference for September 25.

Facer remains in the Cache County Jail on $125,000 bail.

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