Polygraph uncovers porn habit, police say

File this one under things never to say during a job interview.

The Utah Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force has arrested a 37-year-old Payson man they claim admitted, during an interview for a job with the Utah Department of Corrections, that he had viewed child pornography.

"He admitted to using child porn when hooked up to a polygraph," said Catherine Higgins, a spokeswoman for the Utah Attorney General's Office.

A polygraph test is given to new applicants with the Utah Department of Corrections.

"He acknowledged viewing and enjoying child porn," Higgins said Friday.

State investigators went to look at his computer, but Higgins said they discovered it had been destroyed.

"They sent it off to a forensic lab, where they recovered some pictures," she said.

Henry Wayne Howk was charged in Provo's 4th District Court with five counts of sexual exploitation of a

minor, a second-degree felony; and one count of obstruction of justice, a third-degree felony. He was arrested on a warrant Thursday night and booked into the Utah County Jail. Bail was set at $50,000.

Howk was the second arrest by ICAC agents in one night. The task force also arrested a Taylorsville man they said tried to arrange a sexual rendezvous with an underage child Thursday night.

"The 'minor,' of course, was an investigator from the ICAC team," Higgins said.

John Joseph Keane, 50, was arrested by members of the Utah Department of Corrections' Joint Criminal Apprehension team and booked into the Salt Lake County Jail on investigation of sexual exploitation of a minor and drug possession. He is being held without bail.

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E-mail: bwinslow@desnews.com