'Friend' arrested in sex abuse of 2 girls in Provo

PROVO — A man was arrested over the weekend for allegedly committing dozens of sex acts with two young girls and taking pictures of one of them naked, police say.

The case began Friday when detectives were contacted by investigators with the Division of Child and Family Services who had interviewed a now-15-year-old girl who said she had been abused countless times, police said.

The girl said the man, 38, was a family friend who had been abusing her and her best friend for three years. She said he had threatened both of them with violence if they told anyone, according to the affidavit.

The man allegedly gave the two girls marijuana, money, rides to places and use of the phone in exchange for sexual acts and the chance to photograph them without clothing, police said. Occasionally the man would lock one of the girls in a bedroom and force her into sexual acts with him, according to the affidavit.

Friday, several detectives were trying to make contact with the man, but once he saw them, he ran to his car and nearly hit the deputies as he sped away, according to a police affidavit filed in 4th District Court.

A man was later arrested and booked into the Utah County Jail for investigation of aggravated forcible sex abuse, aggravated rape of a child, aggravated kidnapping, aggravated sexual abuse of a child, threats against life and endangerment of a child on $50,000 cash-only bail.

Anyone with additional information is asked to contact the Utah County Special Victims Task Force at 801-851-8361.

— Sara Israelsen-Hartley