TACOMA — The husband of a missing Utah woman is temporarily losing custody of his children after officials Wednesday questioned whether he is responsible for his wife's disappearance.

Judge Kathryn Nelson said there's reasonable cause to believe the two boys can't be safely returned to the home of Josh Powell. She ordered that they temporarily stay with Susan Powell's parents, Chuck and Judy Cox. Josh Powell may visit.

Powell is a person of interest in his wife's disappearance, but he hasn't been charged and says he did nothing wrong. John Long, an assistant attorney general, described during the hearing a variety of concerns he has about Josh Powell, including an assertion that he has been uncooperative with police.

"It leads the state to believe that he is responsible for her disappearance," Long said.

Another concern was that the children had been living in the home of Steve Powell, Josh Powell's father, who was charged this month with voyeurism and possessing child pornography. He's pleaded not guilty. Josh Powell said he knew of no illegal pornography and said there were no signs that it was in the home.

More details emerged Wednesday about Steve Powell's past in a 1992 divorce case from Spokane County. Case documents show his ex-wife accused him of keeping pornography, damaging his children's respect for marriage and inappropriately discussing sex with them. Powell was charged this month with child pornography and voyeurism after authorities investigating the disappearance of Susan Powell searched his Puyallup home.

Terri Powell wrote in the court papers that he talked of teaching his kids about birth control when they were as young as 9. Terri's sister, Becky Mulcahy, wrote in the documents that Steve told her he'd shown his children books about intercourse when they were 6 and 8.

Terri Powell said her husband viewed people as animals who should be able to have sex with anyone at any time. She also said he kept hard-core pornography in the home and visited porn shops.

Jennifer Graves, Josh Powell's sister, said in an interview that she broke ties with her father in part because of his problems with sex and pornography. She recalled going on a business trip with him when she was about 11 and that he viewed a pornographic video with her there.

"Looking back, I wonder if he was willing to do that with a 10-12-year-old girl, his daughter, in the room, what else would he be willing to do?" she said.