Online child sex sting operation nets more than 10 arrests in Utah

August 25, 2017 Utah Channel 3

ST. GEORGE — Authorities have arrested more than 10 people in connection with an online child sex sting operation in Utah.

The Utah Attorney General’s Office announced Friday the completion of a sting operation by the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

The operation, which included cooperation from law enforcement agencies from across northern Utah, targeted online offenders who allegedly enticed and sexually exploited children over the internet.

The operation focused on the identification and arrest of those seeking children with the intent to commit sex acts with the child and/or exploit the child online, according to a statement issued by the Attorney General’s Office.

The effort was conducted in cooperation with the Weber County Sheriff’s Office, Summit County Sheriff’s Office, Utah County Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, Provo City Police Department, Vernal City Police Department, Adult Probation and Parole, South Salt Lake Police Department, Pleasant Grove Police Department, Davis County Sheriff’s Office, Orem City Police Department, Uintah County Sheriff’s Office and Syracuse Police Department.

More than ten individuals were arrested for enticing a minor (over the internet), sexual exploitation of a minor (over the internet), dealing in materials harmful to a minor and/or false information to a police officer.

Charges are being considered by multiple prosecuting agencies, according to the attorney’s office. More information will be released as it is made available.

Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact.

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