SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Jan. 13, 2019 (Gephardt Daily) — A man was arrested in Salt Lake City on Thursday after he allegedly tried to meet up with a girl he believed was 13 years old in order to have sexual relations with her.
A probable cause statement from Salt Lake City’s 3rd District Court said Jonathan Maldonado-Perez, 22, was arrested for one count of second-degree felony enticing a minor by Internet or text, one count of second-degree felony sexual exploitation of a minor and four counts of third-degree felony dealing in materials harmful to a minor.
The probable cause statement said that on Thursday, Maldonado-Perez allegedly began a chat, on a popular social media site, with what he believed to be a 13-year-old girl.
“During this chat Jonathan was advised the female was 13 years old prior to talking
about anything sexual or sending any photos,” the statement said.
During the chat, Maldonado-Perez sent three sexually explicit pictures and one explicit video, the probable cause statement said. He also requested explicit photos from the girl, and requested to meet her “for the purpose of having sexual relations.”
Maldonado-Perez then went to the street in Salt Lake City where he believed the girl lived, and once there was taken into custody.
After being read his Miranda rights, he “admitted to knowing the female was 13 years old and intending to have sex with her,” the probable cause statement said.
He also admitted the photos he sent were of him, the statement added.
Maldonado-Perez was booked into Salt Lake County Jail with bail set at $40,000.
