In the Utah County attorney race between Jeff Gray and David Leavitt, allegations of ritual abuse became the forefront issue of the race.Zadrozny, B. (2022, September 14). Boosted by QAnon and mainstream conservatives, satanic panic spreads online and through local communities. NBCNews.com. Retrieved December 10, 2022Snell, S. (2022, June 15). Utah County attorney David Leavitt responds to what he calls 'false allegations' from his primary election challenger. ABC4 Utah. Retrieved December 10, 2022 A woman had filed charges against Leavitt in 2012 that were dropped in 2014. The woman alleged that Leavitt was a participant in ritualistic sex abuse, killing and cannibalism. In June 2022, the Utah county sheriff's office reopened the investigation. Leavitt called for Mike Smith the Sheriff to resign, accusing Smith, who had endorsed Gray, of opening the investigation for political reasons.Rivera, D. (2022, June 11). Courtroom audio sheds light on case at the heart of Utah County controversy. KSL.com. Retrieved December 10, 2022 Smith has denied being politically motivated.Miller, J. (2022, June 23). What's known about the ritual sex ring under investigation in Utah County. The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved December 10, 2022
