UTAH COUNTY, Utah, March 17, 2021 (Gephardt Daily) — A Payson man has been arrested after he allegedly offered to pay juveniles for sexual acts.
A probable cause statement from Utah County said Daniel Sanchez, 44, is facing charges of:
- Two counts of human trafficking of a child, a first-degree felony
- Enticing a minor by internet or text, a second-degree felony
- Two counts of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, a second-degree felony
- Obstruction of justice, a class A misdemeanor
- Possession of a controlled substance, schedule I/II/analog, a class A misdemeanor
- Use or possession of drug paraphernalia, a class B misdemeanor
On March 13, while investigating a disturbance involving several juveniles, the arresting officer from Utah County Sheriff’s Office was advised of a possible sex offense.
“While speaking with the complainant, she stated she was advised that an adult male had been messaging and talking to juveniles attempting to sexually entice them,” the statement said.
While at the scene, the arresting officer spoke to one of the alleged victims, a 14-year-old female. “V1 (victim one) stated she was propositioned by a male she identified as 44-year-old Daniel Sanchez, to engage in sexual acts for money,” the statement said. “V1 identified two other females that had been proposition by Daniel for sexual acts for money. V1 identified one victim as another 14-year-old female V2 and a third 13-year-old female V3. Officers contacted all victims and their parents and arranged for an interview at the Payson Police Department on March 14.”
Victim one was interviewed and she stated sometime at the end of January or the beginning of February she was with several other people including the suspect at a trailer owned by him. She stated Sanchez singled her out and requested she step outside of the trailer and away from the others with him. When the two were alone, he offered her $100 to engage in a sex act. Before victim one and Sanchez went back to the RV he told her that if she told anyone what he asked that “she would be in trouble and something might happen to her,” the statement said.
Victim three also said that in the same time frame, she was at the RV with the suspect, victim one, and others, and he allegedly made a similar proposition to her.
Victim two was also interviewed and said that on Feb. 13, she was with Sanchez and several other juveniles at Kiwanis Park in Payson Canyon. While at the park, Sanchez requested both her and another juvenile female speak with him behind the brick bathroom building, away from the others.
She stated while behind the building Sanchez pulled out what she identified as a pipe.
“V2 stated she was not sure what the pipe was made of but that the pipe contained a white and yellow substance and that Daniel was using a lighter to burn one end of the pipe,” the statement said. “V2 stated Daniel asked several times for her to smoke the pipe, V2 stated she said no until Daniel began to hold it to her face and demanded she smoke the pipe. V2 stated she asked Daniel what was in the pipe after she had been forced to smoke it and he told her it was methamphetamine.”
He also allegedly offered her money in person and via a text message in exchange for sex acts. He then asked her repeatedly if she had deleted that text message. She also said that Sanchez handed her an oval orange pill and stated she should take it or sell it. The victim gave officers the pill while being interviewed; it was a schedule II amphetamine.
Officers interviewed Sanchez at Payson Police Department. After being read his Miranda rights, he stated he did proposition victim one and victim three in person for sexual acts, and victim two via text but “he was never going to take them up on it.” Sanchez told officers he only asked because he had heard a rumor about the girls and wanted to see if it was true, the statement said.
Sanchez was transported to Utah County Jail. While at the jail, booking deputies located a small plastic bag that contained a white crystal-like substance inside of his wallet that tested positive for methamphetamine. Booking deputies also located a second small plastic bag that contained nine small orange pills, that shared the same markings and were identical to the pill he allegedly gave the second victim.
Sanchez is being held without bail.
