IRON COUNTY, Utah, Feb. 15 (Gephardt Daily) — A prostitution sting on Monday in Southern Utah has led to the arrest of five men, one of them well known in Cedar City.
Arrestee Blake Floyd Cozzen served as the treasurer of the Iron County Republican Party until he resigned on Wednesday.
Cozzen, 28, owns Stress-Free Property Management, is a real estate developer, and is the son of Councilman Paul Cozzens, who is running for a seat on the Iron County Commission.
According to Blake Cozzen’s probable cause statement, investigators with the St. George Police Department worked with a confidential informant who placed an ad on backpage.com, posing as a prostitute.
“Blake Cozzen responded to the ad and negotiated sex acts in exchange for money, via text messages,” the statement says.
“Blake traveled to St. George from Cedar City and met with the CI at a pre-arraged location. During the meeting, Blake provided the CI with $100, as previously discussed via text message. Investigators entered the room and placed Blake under arrest.”
Also arrested in the sting were Jorge Allejandro Vallejo, 41; and Jay Scott Taylor, 44; Tony Dee Jensen, 47; and James Robert Cooper, 61.
Each man arrested in the sting was charged with one class-A misdemeanor of patronizing a prostitute, and was transported to Purgatory Correctional Facility. Each was assigned bail of $1,950. Cozzen paid bail and is out.
If convicted, each man faces up to a year in jail and a maximum $2,500 fine.
In a Facebook statement, Andrew S. Young, chairman of the Iron County, referenced the situation without naming Cozzen:
In the media this week you will find an article concerning an officer of the Iron County GOP. The individual has tendered his resignation and no longer serves as an officer of the party.
As the Iron County GOP Chair I express my love, respect and support for this individual and his family as this is a trial for them. As such I encourage everyone, everywhere to respect this individual and his family at this time. And leave your disparaging comments and remarks to yourselves.
While we as a party leadership don’t condone this kind of behavior we know that everyone has a right to due process in the law.
