Bail set in child pornography case

PROVO — A judge on Friday set a $50,000 cash-only bail for a Pleasant Grove man who allegedly stored child pornography on his computer and tried to pay young girls to pose nude for photographs.

Police arrested the 23-year-old man Thursday night for investigation of sexual exploitation of a minor after investigators found pornographic pictures of children in his home, said Pleasant Grove Police Capt. Cody Cullimore.

"We're worried because they appear to be photos he has taken of children himself," Cullimore said. "It's not just Internet stuff, although he did possess some extremely disgusting things as well."

The man was arrested after someone called police with a tip, Cullimore said.

Police obtained a disc from the man's house that contained numerous pictures and pornographic films involving minors.

After reviewing the disc, officers got a search warrant for the man's home and personal computer, which led to the recovery of additional photos and videos, according to a police report filed in 4th District Court.

The pictures might also be evidence of deeper problems, prosecutors said.

"What is in the probable-cause statement is the tip of the iceberg," Deputy Utah County Attorney Dave Sturgill told Judge Claudia Laycock Friday morning.

In an interview with detectives after his arrest, the man allegedly confessed to approaching young girls — elementary or middle-school age — and paying them to take off their clothes and allow him to touch them.

However, when he appeared before the judge for his bail hearing via a video transmission from the jail Friday morning, the man told Laycock that he lied to the detectives about approaching little girls.

The man also allegedly told officers he has a serious addiction to child pornography and had been downloading images for years, according to the police report.

"The state feels he is a danger to the community," Sturgill said of his request that the bail be so high.

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