SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Feb/ 7. 2023 (Gephardt Daily) – A federal grand jury in Utah has returned an indictment charging a Tucson man with kidnapping a Davis County teen and taking the victim across state lines with the intent to engage in illegal sexual activity.
According to a statement from the Office of the United States Attorney, District of Utah, Tadashi Kura Kojima, 26, also known as Aaron Michael Zeman, willfully and unlawfully kidnapped a 13-year-old boy.
The suspect is not related to the boy and did not have legal custody, but took the minor across state lines with the intent to engage in illegal sexual activity, the statement says.
“The criminal conduct resulted in an Amber Alert and the arrest of Kojima in Nebraska. Kojima has been provided notice of the intent to seek forfeiture of property, including a cell phone, gaming devices, and a 1998 White Toyota Avalon, which were used or intended to be used to commit or to facilitate the commission of the violation.
“The indictment charges Kojima with kidnapping and transportation with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. The defendant appeared in a U.S. federal court in Nebraska and is in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service, who will transfer Kojima to Utah. Upon his arrival in Utah, Kojima will appear on his indictment at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in Salt Lake City, Utah.”
U.S. Attorney Trina A. Higgins for the District of Utah made the announcement.
Assistant U.S. Attorney, Carol A. Dain, is prosecuting the case. The investigation is being worked jointly by the FBI, Layton City Police Department and Grand Island Police Department.
