LAYTON — The former chairman and board member for Davis Behavioral Health has entered a guilty plea to one count of sexual solicitation.
Marlon Raymond Berrett, 70, of Kaysville, appeared Tuesday with his attorney, Ron K. Nichols, before 2nd District Court Judge Robert J. Dale.
A sentencing hearing is set for July 10.
Dale said Berrett is required by law to have an HIV test completed before sentencing, but Nichols said, “Can we waive the HIV test? There was no contact in this matter.”
To that, Dale said, “Under statute, I have to have the results before I can sentence him.”
A class B misdemeanor is punishable by up to six months in prison and/or a $1,500 fine.
Berrett was arrested April 12 by Layton police in a sting operation. According to a Layton police probable cause statement, police on April 4 observed that Berrett had posted an Internet ad on Craigslist with sexually explicit language.
Through email correspondence over several days with Berrett, it was arranged for him to meet at a location in Layton to “engage in sexual acts in exchange for money,” police documents read.
“On April 12, the defendant, later identified as Marlon Berrett, arrived at the Layton city location,” to engage in those sexual acts.
According to the report, Berrett admitted to corresponding with the undercover officer via email and arranging to pay $20 each time the sexual acts took place.
“It’s noted that (Berrett) had four $20 bills with him,” the report states.
Berrett was taken into custody by police and booked into Davis County Jail.
Berrett was a volunteer board member with Davis Behavioral Health Inc., a private organization that contracts with Davis County to provide mental health and substance abuse counseling services.
Berrett had been a member of the DBH board for about six years. He resigned in April, shortly after the charge was made public.
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