Child pornography sting — Task force raids homes in Salt Lake Valley

Published: Tuesday, April 1, 2008 12:18 a.m. MDT
 |  E-MAIL | PRINT | FONT + - 
SOUTH JORDAN — The sounds of little children playing nearby carried in the breeze as agents from the Utah Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force raided a home for suspected child pornography.

It was in quiet neighborhoods like this where "Operation Spring Cleaning" was carried out over the past several days, serving 17 warrants for computers and suspects accused of accessing illicit images. Three people were arrested — including a former elementary school teacher.

"It is disturbing. I'd be lying to say it didn't bug me," ICAC agent Coy Acocks said as he prepared to search a home for computers.

The operation was the culmination of weeks of investigations into downloading and trading of pictures and videos of children being sexually exploited.

"We've gone after individuals who seem to be trading on a regular basis and are very highly involved in what we believe is the trafficking of illegal images," said Capt. Rhett McQuiston, the commander of the attorney general's ICAC Task Force.

As they prepared for the operation, Lt. Jessica Farnsworth taped up photographs of a suspect's home. She covered points as officers reviewed briefing sheets. One agent was wrapping up a last-minute arrest warrant and others were preparing to fan out across the Salt Lake Valley.

Story continues below

"Time is wastin'!" Farnsworth shouted to her team. "Perpetrators are out there!"

Arrests

As agents surrounded the townhouse in a subdivision under development in Herriman, two LDS missionaries and a group of children stopped to watch the police activity.

Officers knocked on the door and as soon as it opened, they swarmed inside. Minutes later, Curtis Scharman kept his head down and said nothing as he was led to a police car.

ICAC agents said Scharman, 25, a former teacher at West Jordan's Oak Crest Elementary, was arrested on charges of attempted sexual exploitation of a minor, a third-degree felony.

According to an affidavit filed with the criminal charges, ICAC agents were contacted by a woman who was baby-sitting Scharman's infant son and had been lent a laptop by his wife. The baby sitter found files describing sex acts with children on the computer and called police. ICAC agents noted in charging documents, however, that no child pornography images were ever recovered from the computer.

Scharman was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail and made his first appearance in court to the charges on Monday. The Jordan School District said Scharman had been placed on administrative leave in January and his employment was subsequently terminated. McQuiston said ICAC was still investigating to see if he had any inappropriate contact with students.

Recent comments

Having worked in law enforcement in the past and now seeing the other...

Concerned | May 26, 2009 at 4:16 a.m.

I just have to say that it is entirely possible that some of these...

Me | April 11, 2008 at 11:00 a.m.

In response to the teacher, it sounds more like an invasion of...

Evidence | April 9, 2008 at 10:41 p.m.

Image
Keith Johnson, Deseret Morning News

Lt. Jessica Farnsworth, the field commander for the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and two other agents escort David Simpson, who is charged with sexual exploitation of a minor for allegedly trading images of child porn.

previousnext

Latest comments

I don't think Palin can win on the national scene, but Mitt has got a strong...

Last night was the first time I went to the Stadium of Fire and I failed to...

This trial was supposed to have taken place months ago, but no news source...

Joe: The last thing we need to worry about is human extinction. Why don't...

Kramer never got involved til after The Big 10 commissiner had already called...

"Did you guys hear something? Me neither. HEY! Look at that elephant climbing...

NBA reported agreements

you must not only be a "sloanaholic" but someone that works in the front...

To "Loss OF FREEDOM" Whe you say "What we get with big government -- high...

Cleaning up after 8 years of Republican mess? Hmmm, let's see - the...

the title could use some sense review. Instead of "beat people up", why not...

Advertisements