Lehi police say a 27-year-old Eagle Mountain man showed up for what he thought was a meetup with a 17-year-old on Feb. 13 and instead found officers waiting for him. He was arrested at the scene and later booked into the Utah County Jail on suspicion of attempted rape, a second-degree felony, and enticement of a minor, a Class A misdemeanor.
What Lehi police said
In a Feb. 24 post, the Lehi City Police Department said its Special Victims Unit and Internet Crimes Against Children investigators launched an undercover chat operation in early February, with one investigator posing online as a 17-year-old. The department noted that, in some SVU and ICAC cases, it withholds names before formal charges to protect victim privacy and prevent what it called "jigsaw identification," according to the Lehi City Police Department on Facebook. The post states that arrests from the operation are under review for potential formal charges.
How the sting unfolded
According to Lehi police, the 27-year-old reached out to the undercover account, then steered the conversation toward sexual activity and arranged a time and place to meet. Officers were waiting at the agreed location on Feb. 13 and took him into custody when he arrived. During a subsequent interview, the man admitted he knew what he was doing was wrong, the department said. The Facebook post identifies him as an Eagle Mountain resident and notes he was booked into the Utah County Jail on the attempted rape and enticement counts, per the Lehi City Police Department on Facebook.
A pattern in Lehi
Lehi's Special Victims Unit has been running similar undercover chat operations for years, targeting would-be offenders before they can meet with minors. Previous stings and arrests in the city have been documented by local outlets, including Gephardt Daily and coverage of another sting operation, as per Hoodline, which notes that Lehi police often coordinate with state and federal partners on these investigations.
Legal process and next steps
Lehi police emphasize that anyone arrested in these operations is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court. Cases that come out of undercover chats typically move through digital forensic review and are then forwarded to the Utah County Attorney's Office, where prosecutors decide whether to file formal charges. The department is asking anyone with information related to these investigations to contact detectives with tips.
