SANDY, Utah, March 23, 2025 (Gephardt Daily) — Sandy City police arrested a 31-year-old man, listed on state records as a non-complaint registered sex offender, after he allegedly repeated a recent violation while at a city park.
Victor Anthony Tapia was arrested Saturday for alleged lewdness involving a child and for a sex offender violation in a protected area, each a third-degree felony. He also is facing a charge of intoxication, a class C misdemeanor.
Officers were called to the scene on a report of possible lewdness in progress.
“The victim called reporting she saw a male later identified as Victor Tapia hiding in the bushes by the canal next to the Scott Cowdell Park,” arrest documents say.
The victim said she could see several children were at the park while Tapia was touching himself. The officer approached Tapia as he sat near the canal, the Sandy City Police officer’s account says.
“I asked Victor what he was up to and Victor spontaneously uttered ‘I’m masturbating.'”
According to the arrest document, Tapia was “clearly visible from the public trail that passed by roughly 30 ft away” and could clearly be seen from the park as well.
“While interacting with Victor, several people walked past on the public trail, including a young girl roughly 5 years old,” the officer stated.
Tapia said he had been released from jail for the same behavior 15 days earlier, the statement says.
“When Victor stood up, his pants were unbuttoned and began to fall down, and he had to grab them. Victor was taken into custody and transported to jail.”
Tapia was ordered held without bail.
