Man nabbed in Internet child sex case

PROVO — A man taking continuing education classes at Brigham Young University was arrested Thursday night for allegedly trying to solicit sex from a 13-year-old over the Internet.

The 24-year-old man, who is not officially enrolled at BYU, had been chatting on the Internet with someone he believed was a 13-year-old female, according to an affidavit of probable cause filed in 4th District Court.

It turned out the "girl" was a member of the Utah County Sex Crimes Task Force, yet the man didn't know that and continued to talk about sexual acts with the young girl, according to the affidavit.

The California man allegedly told the girl several times he knew he could get in trouble by talking with her but still arranged to meet to perform sex acts.

He set up the time and place to meet, and when officers from the Utah County Sex Crimes Task Force arrived at the location, the man started running, according to the affidavit.

The man stopped when the officers identified themselves and told them he knew they were talking to him because he had arranged to meet a young girl, according to the affidavit.

He was booked into the Utah County Jail on $10,000 cash or bond bail for investigation of enticement of a minor. He bailed out of jail about 12 hours later.

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