Mormon Leader Arrested For Penis Biting

Prosecutors in northern Utah filed charges Tuesday against Efrey Guzman, a Latter-Day Saints church leader accused of biting a man's penis after assaulting his mother and sister.

Guzman, 46, of Sandy, was charged in open court with "aggravated sexual assault, aggravated burglary, both first-degree felonies, and sexual abuse of a child and forcible sexual abuse, both second-degree felonies," Bob Scott, a spokesman for the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office, told The Huffington Post.

According to the arrest affidavit, Guzman went to the home of a 13-year-old girl on May 8. During his visit with the girl, who later described him to police as a "family friend," he assaulted her by attempting to kiss her and grab her buttocks. When the girl's 20-year-old brother entered the room he left, police said. The authorities were not immediately notified of the alleged assault.

On Aug. 2, Guzman returned to the teenager's home. When the girl's mom asked him to leave, he refused, police said.

"The defendant pushed his way into the residence and began to assault the mother," the arrest affidavit reads. "She yelled for help and tried to fight the defendant off. She said the defendant ripped her shirt exposing her breast."

Guzman was allegedly groping the woman when her son came into the room and witnessed what was occurring. It was when the young man attempted to intervene, police say, Guzman viciously assaulted him.

"While he tried to get the defendant off his mother, the defendant grabbed his penis through his boxer shorts and bit his penis causing severe damage that required surgery," the arrest affidavit reads.

The victims, who are identified only by initials in court documents, declined to speak with local media about the case.

Kent Kuhn, the victim's LDS Bishop, told ABC 4 News the family is traumatized.

"There is some medical things that may affect this man for a long period of time and emotionally these children are devastated," Kuhn said.

Ironically, Kuhn's wife, Gloria, told ABC 4 News that the mother had recently moved her family to the area in an attempt to shield them from crime.

"She thought it'd be safer here and this makes us really sad to think that something like that could happen here on our street," Gloria Kuhn said.

Guzman, who was an LDS branch president of a Latino congregation in Sandy, was booted from the congregation after the charges were filed.

Scott Trotter, a spokesman for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, issued a statement to The Salt Lake Tribune that said the church "has zero tolerance for abuse of any kind."

The statement added, "Mr. Guzman has been released from his church duties effective immediately and faces further church discipline following the legal process."

Guzman is being held in the Salt Lake County jail in lieu of $300,000 bond. Court records do not list an attorney for him. Guzman is scheduled to appear in court again on Friday. See Chick's THE VISITORS.