Citizen's arrest in West Jordan lands 2 men in jail

WEST JORDAN — A man who thought he was doing the right thing by making a citizen's arrest of a suspected child molester, was arrested himself for investigation of aggravated kidnapping.

The mother whose children were allegedly abused says 24-year-old Brett Adams should be honored for getting an alleged child molester off the street.

But police say what Adams did goes beyond what the law allows.

On Tuesday, Adams met with Kasey Beatty, 24, in the parking lot of a West Jordan store.

One of Adams' acquaintances told him that Beatty had molested one or more of her children, said West Jordan Police Sgt. Drew Sanders.

The mother, who asked not to be identified to protect her two young children, was with Adams in the parking lot. She said they had arranged a meeting with Beatty.

"We decided to talk to him first. We asked him, 'Do you know why we're here?'" she said.

That's when Beatty "started getting aggressive," the mother said, and moved as if he were going to attack her.

Adams, a former Marine, according to the mother, grabbed a zip tie from his waistband.

"Brett told (Beatty) he was being arrested and had him place his hands behind his back and Brett put zip ties on him," according to a Salt Lake County Jail report.

Adams did not represent himself as a police officer during the arrest, Sanders said.

During the arrest, the booking report states, Adams had his hand on a gun that was visibly sticking out of his waistband. The mother disputes the report, however, saying Adams has always carried an open weapon and at no time during the confrontation placed his hand on it.

Adams then drove Beatty to the West Jordan police station.

Rather than just dropping off Beatty at the police station and leaving, however, Adams was also arrested.

"Just because someone has a warrant or you feel an alleged crime occurred, doesn't mean you can go take him into custody," Sanders said.

Adams was arrested for investigation of aggravated kidnapping.

While there is a provision in the Utah Code Book that allows for citizens' arrests, Sanders said the statute requires that the alleged crime has to occur in the presence of the person making the arrest.