Charges are allegations only. All arrested persons are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — A Utah judge is being charged with forcible sexual abuse and several drug-related charges.
William Kenneth Kendall, 54, is being charged with forcible sexual abuse, a second-degree felony; distribution of or arranging to distribute a controlled substance, a third-degree felony; possession or use of a controlled substance, a class B misdemeanor; and possession of drug paraphernalia, a class B misdemeanor.
Third District Court Judge William Kenneth Kendall. (Courtesy: Utah State Courts)
Kendall was originally appointed to the Third District Court in 2014 by then-Governor Gary Herbert, and he serves several counties in Utah, including Salt Lake, Tooele, and Summit, according to Utah State Courts.
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A spokesperson with Utah courts told ABC4.com that Kendall has not been hearing cases since the middle of March, and he was officially placed on leave when charges were filed on April 2.
Kendall’s attorney, Greg Skordas, provided ABC4.com with a statement about his client. The full statement is below:
Judge William Kendall has humbly served the people of Utah for over 25 years, first as a Deputy District Attorney, then as an Assistant U.S. Attorney, and currently as Judge on Utah’s Third District Court. He has undergone rigorous vetting in order to be a member of the judiciary, and until now has never been the subject of an allegation of professional misconduct. Judge Kendall is presumed innocent.”
Greg Skordas, attorney for Judge William Kendell
The charges are traced back to an alleged incident that happened at Kendall’s home on Feb. 21, 2025, according to a charging document filed in Third District Court.
Kendall is accused of inappropriately touching a woman over her clothes during a gathering at his house. Kendall had reportedly been drinking alcohol and offered THC to a woman at the gathering, documents said.
Kendall is accused of touching the victim’s buttocks and breasts inappropriately after the pair had smoked what the victim had called a “weed pen,” according to charging documents. THC products were found at Kendall’s home after officials executed a search warrant.
Before being appointed as a judge, Kendall worked for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah as an assistant U.S. attorney. He had also served as a deputy district attorney for Salt Lake County.
The charges were filed by the Davis County Attorney’s Office on April 2.
Sorina Trauntvein and Jordan Tracy contributed to this report.
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