Missionary Sentenced for Sexually Assaulting Teen, Blames Breakup

Krew Zaugg, a 22-year-old missionary from Idaho, has been sentenced for the sexual assault of a 15-year-old girl, an act he tearfully admitted was prompted by a recent breakup with his now-wife. Zaugg was formally sentenced in Bonneville County court on Monday after agreeing to a plea deal in June.

He was arrested less than a month after the May 2025 incident, facing felony charges of rape of a victim under 16 and lewd conduct with a child under 16. Zaugg was released on a $75,000 bond the same day. Six months later, he married his fiancée, Meriden Zaugg, whom he had proposed to a month prior.

Zaugg told the court that on the night of the assault, he had broken up with his girlfriend and, feeling "lonely and missing her," made an impulsive decision. "I was feeling sad, lonely and miserable. Instead of dealing with those things in a mature and responsible way, I made an impulsive decision," Zaugg stated, as reported by East Idaho News. He also admitted to lying to investigators when he was initially taken into custody, saying he was scared.

Prosecutors argued that Zaugg, who was college-aged at the time, preyed on a freshman in high school. They urged the court to consider a sentence of up to 20 years, emphasizing that force was involved in the attack. The victim's mother described the assault as