HURRICANE, Utah, March 4, 2024 (Gephardt Daily) — A former Washington County School District employee who taught a special needs preschool students has been jailed for alleged exploitation of a minor.
Benjamin Carl Stewart, 41, was booked into the Purgatory Correctional Facility Thursday for investigation of two counts of aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor, victim 14 years+/pubescent, and sexual exploitation of a minor. All three counts of second-degree felonies.
The alleged victim was not a student of Stewart’s, according to an affidavit filed by a detective with the Washington County Sheriff‘s Office. His affidavit says he worked at the Hurricane Early Childhood Center.
On or about Feb. 21 of this year, law enforcement officials got a cybertip that a user on a messaging app had been chatting about his improper touching of a minor, and had shared mostly clothed photos of her. The tip information included a Washington County School District email account in the name of Benjamin Stewart.
Posts on the messaging app, linked to the app, also shared a nude photo, apparently taken without the victim’s knowledge through a window.
The poster also talked about his desire to have sex with the juvenile, Stewart’s affidavit says.
“During an interview with Benjamin, he admitted to being the user of the suspect … account,’ the affidavit says. “He admitted to sharing photos of (the girl), but denied ever sending or receiving nude photos of children.”
The officer’s statement said Stewart’s account “appeared to have sent the photo to at least two other accounts.”
A judge ordered Stewart to be held without bail.
