TREMONTON, Utah, June 3, 2025 (Gephardt Daily) -- A man was arrested Sunday at a Tremonton residence for investigation of 20 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, each listed as a second-degree felony.
Collin James Hawkins, 27, was identified after a CyberTip reportedly linked him to child-pornography materials from a Kik account, which were tracked back to a Utah address.
Materials included a video of young males involved in sexual acts.
"I also found that the suspect held a position of trust and was employed at an out-of-state university as a professor," says an arrest document filed by an officer of the Tremonton Garland Police Department.
"During routine surveillance officers found that children lived and/or frequented the same residence that the suspect lived at."
The officer requested and received a residential search warrant, also covering Hawkins' person and vehicle. The officer served the warrant at about 6:15 p.m. Sunday.
"Collin was placed in handcuffs and detained for questioning without incident. At his request, I spoke with him privately, away from everyone else. I informed him I had a warrant for evidence of CSAM (Child Sexual Abuse Material). I asked if that was surprising to him, and he said that it was not."
Other videos found on Hawkins' phones included an adult male sexually assaulting a boy estimated to be age 3 to 5. Juvenile males captured in images or recordings ranged in age from young childhood to late teens, the arrest document says.
The arresting document said the officer's designating the number of offenses at 20 "is a generously underestimated amount."
Hawkins was ordered to be held without bail.
