Utah bus driver gets life in prison for sex abuse of special-needs students

A Draper, Utah school bus driver was sentenced to life in prison Tuesday after being found guilty of sexually abusing two young special-needs girls.

John Martin Carrell, 62, will serve 19 ongoing terms of 15 years-to-life in prison for abusing the girls, KSL reported. But even after being sentenced, the school bus driver maintained his innocence.

"I know and God knows that I did not commit these crimes," he said.

In July, a jury convicted Carrell of 19 first-degree felony accounts of aggravated sexual abuse of a child. That panel also acquitted him of 14 identical charges, according to KSL. Carrell's attorney Ron Yengich asked the judge to consider Carrell's lack of criminal record.

"To the people who know him best, he's been a good man," Yengich said. "A good stepfather … a good grandfather."

Prosecuting attorney Nathan Evershed said despite Carrell's claims of innocence, he has no one to blame no one but himself.

"Parents are asked by society to send their children from home to school to be educated," Evershed said. "The expectation of parents is that their beloved children will be safe."

Evershed said Carrell's victims are still in therapy.

"We have two little girls whose lives will be changed forever," Evershed said. The parents of one of the victims stood in front the judge Tuesday and asked for Carrell to be given the maximum possible sentence.

"We trusted the school and the bus driver to keep her safe, and they did not," the man said. "Our sweet innocent daughter was hurt by Mr. Carrell."

He added that his family was hurt when their integrity was questioned because of the allegations against Carrell, the station said.

"My wife and I take comfort in our daughter's bravery in telling what happened," he said.

Contact Chris Kudialis at ckudialis@reviewjournal.com.