Sandy man faces charges of child porn, sex abuse

Criminal charges have been filed against a Sandy man accusing him of sexually abusing a 6-year-old boy and trafficking in child pornography — and investigators fear there may be more victims.

The Utah Attorney General's Office charged Jeffrey David Burton, 30, with 10 counts of sexual exploitation of a child, a second-degree felony; aggravated sex abuse of a child and sodomy on a child, both first-degree felonies.

In charging documents filed Tuesday in Salt Lake City's 3rd District Court, police said they were tipped off by an anonymous caller who had read an April 29 Deseret Morning News article about Internet sex predators and the work of the Utah Internet Crimes Against Children task force to protect children. The caller said Burton was "in love" with a 6-year-old boy.

"The caller said that Burton informed him that he has been involved in 'file sharing' of child pornography images of prepubescent males through the Internet," ICAC agent Rhett McQuiston wrote in a probable cause statement. "The caller also stated that Burton said that he is chatting with an underage male through the Internet and that it may lead to some (form) of sexual relationship."

ICAC agents questioned Burton, who is unemployed and living in the basement of his parents' home.

"He stated that he has viewed images of child pornography through the Internet since 1998," McQuiston wrote, alleging that Burton would visit a child pornography Web site, download the images on his father's computer and then burn them to a DVD.

"I asked him if he ever posted a photo gallery; the subject paused and then responded, 'I have but not of child pornography,"' McQuiston wrote.

ICAC agents said that under questioning, Burton admitted to molesting the boy, beginning when the child was 3 and continuing until he was 6. He also admitted to taking photographs of the child.

Authorities seized the computer and said Burton gave investigators DVDs, including movies of children in the nude.

"However, he reported that the movies are considered 'naturalist' and not pornography," McQuiston wrote.

The probable cause statement said that after being told not to contact the family of the alleged victim, the boy's parents reported receiving a series of text messages from Burton asking if they would be willing to meet with him or meet with him and his LDS bishop.

The family contacted authorities, who had a warrant issued for his arrest. Burton was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail on Monday night. Bail has been set at $250,000.

Meanwhile, the Utah Attorney General's Office released Burton's e-mail address in hopes of discovering any more possible victims. Burton's e-mail address is MKIV95@gmail.com, authorities said.

"The investigation continues, and additional charges may be filed," said Ken Wallentine, the Utah Attorney General's director of law enforcement. "There are literally hundreds of images."

---

E-mail: bwinslow@desnews.com