A Missouri man who pushed to ban LGBTQ books from school libraries in Kansas City because of sexual images has been charged with molesting a young child.
According to court documents, Ryan Utterback, 29, is accused of fondling the same child he had with him at an October 26, 2021 school board meeting in Kansas City. He’s facing an additional charge of showing a 4-year-old child sexual videos on his cellphone.
Fox 2 reports that Utterback attended a North Kansas City school board meeting in October 2021, where James Richmond, the President of the Northland Parent Association, denounced a book entitled, “Fun Home,” which reportedly contains information about two women engaging in sex acts.
“I am shocked and absolutely aggravated at what is in our school systems, what’s in our school libraries and what is available to these students,” Richmond said. “This book here called ‘Fun Home’ is a graphic novel. Not only when you think of a graphic novel, you think of a comic book, but that is not the case here. This graphic novel actually has this material in it.”
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Utterback stood by Richmond and held up signs for him. He made no comment about his charges but an affidavit stated he fondled a child in December 2020 and laid down next to the child in bed, ABC 9 reports.
Court documents indicate that Utterback is accused of touching the child’s thigh and moving her body close to his in one incident. In another incident, Utterback allegedly placed his finger through a hole in a teenager’s jeans, then began rubbing her leg.
Utterback spoke again about banning the book at a meeting in November 2021.
“You know, I definitely understand their struggles. It’s not lost on me,” Utterback told KMBC. “Those conversations are to be had at home and only I have the intimate understanding of what is and isn’t appropriate for my children.”
Utterback is scheduled to return to court on March 10. Check back for updates.
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[Feature Photo: Ryan Utterback via ABC 9 SS]
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