Swedish man held in Internet sex sting

LAYTON — Police here have arrested a 47-year-old Swedish man they allege tried to arrange a sexual rendezvous with a 13-year-old girl on a trip to the United States.

The girl was really an undercover Layton police officer.

Police said that from June 9 through July 14, Bjorn Erik Larsson exchanged messages over the Internet with the person he thought was a 13-year-old girl, seeking sexual favors. He also showed the girl his genitals over a webcam, Layton police wrote in a probable cause statement filed with the charges.

Davis County prosecutors have accused Larsson of trying to arrange a meeting with the girl while he was visiting the U.S.

"It appears right now that he had a holiday planned here," said deputy Davis County attorney Richard Larsen.

A meeting was being set up, police said, when Larsson showed up at the police department's annual Night Out Against Crime activities Tuesday at Layton Commons Park.

"The detective working that case was passing out Internet safety information in the park, and (Larsson) showed up to attend national night out," Layton Police Sgt. Mark Chatlin said Thursday. "The detective recognized him, approached him and arrested him."

Larsson was booked into the Davis County Jail, where he remains in lieu of $50,000 bail. Prosecutors filed charges of enticing a minor, a second-degree felony, and two counts of dealing in harmful material to a minor, both third-degree felonies. Police also have notified the Swedish consulate of Larsson's arrest.

A court appearance is scheduled for Wednesday.

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