A 22-year-old former Latter-day Saint missionary, Krew Zaugg, has avoided immediate prison after admitting to ssxually a§§aulting a 15-year-old girl inside his Tesla in Idaho, US.
Zaugg appeared in Bonneville County Court on Monday after pleading guilty to an amended felony battery charge, with prosecutors dropping a separate lewd conduct charge.
According to East Idaho News, Zaugg told the court he had broken up with his girlfriend, who later became his wife, that night and was feeling sad, lonely and miserable before making an impulsive decision.
“I opened up a snap from a girl online without taking the time to really get to know her, asking her questions or understanding her circumstances,” he said.
Zaugg was arrested less than a month after the May 2025 incident and released on a $75,000 bond. Six months later, he married his fiancée.
Prosecutors pushed for prison, stressing that Zaugg was college-aged while the victim was a freshman in high school. Prosecutor Steven Haderlie said, “At best, this defendant didn’t care if the victim was a minor. At worst, he was seeking out a minor.”
However, Judge Michael Whyte ordered Zaugg into a rider program for treatment in custody for up to a year instead of immediately sending him to prison. He must also register as a s+x offender, pay at least $4,000 in fines and have no contact with the victim for 14 years.
“What you did was horrible. You can’t take it back, you can’t fix it,” the judge said.
After the program, Whyte can still order Zaugg to serve his underlying four-to-14-year prison sentence.
The victim’s mother said the a§§ault left her daughter socially withdrawn, hypervigilant and suffering panic att@cks.
Zaugg also admitted lying to investigators after his arrest, saying, “I should have had the courage to tell the truth right away.”
Crying 22-year-old Missionary spared jail after admitting to sexually assaulting a 15-year-old in his Tesla because he was feeling sad, lonely, and miserable due to a breakup
