SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Feb. 3, 2023 (Gephardt Daily) — Investigators say they have rescued a missing juvenile girl from the basement of a convicted sex-trafficker in West Valley City.
“Agents from the Utah Department of Corrections’ Division of Adult Probation and Parole have located a missing juvenile girl from Arizona, arresting a Utah man in the process, the Utah Attorney General’s Office announced online Friday.
“Thanks to the quick actions of our agents and cooperation with the Attorney General’s investigators, this young woman was found safe,” said Dan Blanchard, director of the AP&P division. “This is one of the many roles our agents take every day to help keep our communities safe. We are very grateful for the response and professionalism of these officers. Agents act on a number of tips every day, and in this situation, they helped to locate this girl.”
AP&P agents received information Jan. 31 from Arizona about a missing girl and a possible connection to Jordan Sorenson, the AG’s office said, who was convicted in June 2020 of first-degree felony aggravated sexual extortion of an adult. He is on probation with AP&P and is listed on Utah’s sex offender registry.
Agents began an investigation in coordination with the Utah Attorney General’s human trafficking unit. Sorenson was located at his work and transported to his residence in West Valley. Agents then searched the home, according to the AG’s office, locating the missing juvenile in the basement.
“We are grateful for the opportunity to assist AP&P and Arizona authorities in this case, and relieved the victim is now in a safe place,” said Richard Piatt, communications director with the AG’s office.
“It is a priority for our office to utilize our Secure Strike Force to assist minors and to prosecute the growing number of human traffickers who are out there. These crimes are becoming more frequent, and we all need to continue to work together to combat these crimes.”
Arizona officials have been informed the juvenile was found safe and turned over to the care of a victim’s advocate from the AG’s office.
In addition to probation violations for Sorenson, an ongoing investigation of possible new criminal charges continues with the human trafficking unit.
