Salt Lake man charged with abusing teen at park

SALT LAKE CITY — A Salt Lake man faces sexual abuse charges for allegedly performing sexual acts on a 14-year old boy at a playground in South Salt Lake.

William Patrick Estell, 40, was charged Monday with three counts of forcible sodomy, a first-degree felony, and one count of forcible sexual abuse, a second-degree felony. He approached the boy on his bicycle at a park at 1665 S. Riverside Drive, sometime between Aug. 1 and Sept. 30 and initially “rough housed” with him, eventually tackling him to the ground, and fondled him, according to charges filed in 3rd District Court.

Prosecutors say he then sexually abused the boy.

Estell told police he had gone to the park to meet kids and led the boy to a secluded area of the Jordan River Parkway, the charges state. The victim said he stood up and told the man to stop the acts. The boy said he was afraid that Estell would hurt him. 

— Ben Lockhart

Twitter: @benlockhart89