Salt Lake County investigators say a longtime behavioral therapist who advertised himself as a tutor and babysitter is now facing serious child pornography charges. Robert Layne Magann, 57, was arrested Wednesday and booked into the Salt Lake County Jail after officers reported finding child sexual abuse material on several electronic devices in his Salt Lake-area home. According to an arrest affidavit, Magann, who told investigators he works with autistic children, admitted he owned the social media account that sparked the case.
According to KSL NewsRadio, officers executed search warrants at Magann’s residence and say they recovered explicit images from multiple devices. The affidavit cited by the outlet says Magann admitted sending and receiving child sexual abuse material and said he has possessed such files for about 20 years. He allegedly described some of the images as “European art.” Prosecutors have charged him with 10 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, according to the charging documents.
How Investigators Got the CyberTip
The case started when a social media company reportedly flagged an account and forwarded information to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s CyberTipline. The tipline reviews notices from platforms and passes viable leads to law enforcement agencies. NCMEC’s CyberTipline explains that it prioritizes reports suggesting a child might be in immediate danger and routes those cases to the jurisdiction best positioned to respond. Local detectives then typically use IP address traces, search warrants and digital forensics to link online activity to specific devices and homes.
Felony Counts and Potential Penalties
Magann is accused of 10 felony counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, according to the affidavit and charging papers. Utah’s sexual exploitation statute, Utah Code Section 76-5b-201, criminalizes possessing and intentionally viewing child sexual abuse material, and treats each minor depicted as a separate offense. A conviction on such charges can carry multi-year prison sentences and typically triggers sex offender registration requirements under state law.
Part of a Growing Local Pattern
Salt Lake County investigators have increasingly leaned on social media platform referrals and NCMEC screening to launch these kinds of cases. Recent local reporting has highlighted several investigations that followed the same path from CyberTip to warrant to felony charges. One March case, detailed in a man accused of hoarding the worst child abuse images, used the same investigative playbook, as per Hoodline. Prosecutors and victim advocates say those partnerships are key to finding illegal material and, when possible, identifying children in the images.
Magann remained in custody as the case moved through the courts, and officials had not yet released information about an upcoming hearing or an attorney representing him. The charges are allegations, and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court. Authorities urge anyone who encounters suspected child sexual abuse material to report it to NCMEC’s CyberTipline or contact the Utah ICAC tip line at (801) 281-1211 so local investigators can review the lead.
