Utah scuba instructor charged with sexually abusing young student

SALT LAKE CITY (KSL.com) — A Sandy scuba instructor is facing felony charges accusing him of sexually abusing a young student.

David L. Butt, 40, was charged Tuesday in 3rd District Court with four counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a child, a first-degree felony.

In February of 2021, a 10-year-old alleges “she was sexually assaulted by her scuba instructor,” Butt. The girl says Butt would repeatedly place his hand inside her bathing suit and she would try to swim away, according to charging documents. “This happened each week that (the girl) had scuba lessons.”

“Officers interviewed another (child) participant of the class, who described the behavior of Butt as ‘creepy,’ and said that Butt was much more hands on with (the girl) than the other students,” according to the charges.

That other student was concerned enough about the behavior, he told a parent about it, the charges state.

Prosecutors also noted there “have been additional allegations against (Butt) that are similar in nature,” including from a girl who says Butt did the same thing to her when she took lessons in Midway, according to the charges. “That female minor has suffered immense trauma from the incident and has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder.”

The charges filed Tuesday are for alleged incidents only involving the 10-year-old girl in Salt Lake County.