Park City grads reach plea agreements in harassment case
UPDATE: Hall, Lukrich and Pederson completed the terms of plea in abeyance agreements, according to court documents. The charges against them have been dismissed.
Two recent Park City High School graduates prosecutors say harassed another person during a gym class in the spring pleaded guilty to charges Monday.
Carter Noah Hall, 18, pleaded guilty to disruption of activities in or near a school building, a class A misdemeanor. Joseph Harper Lukrich, also 18, pleaded guilty to a class A misdemeanor count of disrupting the operation of a school.
Both were pleas in abeyance, meaning the charges against Hall and Lukrich will be dismissed in one year if they meet the conditions in their plea agreements. Lukrich had originally been charged with a class A misdemeanor count of sexual battery, while Hall faced charges of sexual battery and stalking, both class A misdemeanors.
A third graduate involved in the incident, Bernhardt Lafald Pederson, 18, pleaded guilty last week to a class B misdemeanor count of disorderly conduct as part of a plea in abeyance agreement.
Prosecutors claimed the trio engaged in inappropriate behavior against another person during a weightlifting class in May. According to court documents, Hall and Lukrich sat on the person’s face while the person was lying on a bench, and Hall pulled down the person’s pants and made a threatening remark to them.
As part of their plea agreements, Hall and Lukrich are each required to pay a $500 fee, complete 50 hours of community service at a nonprofit, write a letter of apology to the victim, write a paper about the effects of bullying and commit no violations of the law, according to court documents.
Summit County Attorney Margaret Olson said in an email that she’s hopeful the matter has reached its conclusion.
“For the sake of all involved, it is my hope that the agreements entered into with the Court are satisfied and the cases put into the past so these young people can go forward with their lives,” she said.
Attorneys representing Hall and Lukrich did not respond to requests for comment.
Pederson’s attorney, Greg Skordas, previously told The Park Record that he didn’t believe the defendants’ behaviors amounted to illegal acts and that the police should not have pursued it as a criminal matter.
Park City School District announces toxic soil removal will begin Dec. 17
Though several parents doubted Park City School District when on Nov. 9 officials announced the two toxic dirt piles outside Treasure Mountain Junior High School would be removed within a few days of Dec. 18, the district has reinforced its vow late Friday.

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