Salt Lake City police arrested 20-year-old Peter Everett Sullivan on Monday after investigators alleged he sexually abused a runaway 13-year-old he met on Snapchat. The teenager was reported missing last Tuesday and later told detectives she had been exchanging pictures with a man who added her on the app. Officers took Sullivan into custody at his Salt Lake residence, and he is being held on a no-bail warrant, according to court records.
Charges and alleged evidence
Prosecutors in Third District Court have charged Sullivan with sodomy on a child, a first-degree felony, along with two counts of sexual abuse of a child, both second-degree felonies. He also faces one count of attempted sexual abuse of a child, a third-degree felony, and a weapons charge for prohibited dangerous-weapon conduct. Investigators say they found explicit images of the victim on Sullivan’s phone and discovered a firearm hidden in a cat’s litterbox. Officers later checked the gun and said it had been reported stolen. Another man at the residence was taken into custody during the search, and prosecutors filed the no-bail warrant after reviewing the evidence. As reported by ABC4, the charges and supporting details are laid out in court paperwork.
Victim’s account and suspect’s statements
According to court records, the 13-year-old told investigators she had been added on Snapchat and that she "made a bad choice" by going to Sullivan’s home without her phone. Sullivan told police he believed the girl was 17 and later admitted during a police interview that he had sexual relations with her, the documents state. He was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail on a no-bail warrant and remains in custody while detectives continue their investigation. As ABC4 details, investigators are still reviewing digital evidence and witness statements tied to the case.
How experts say grooming happens online
Law enforcement officials say the allegations follow a troubling pattern they see more often, in which predators reach minors through ephemeral messaging apps and social platforms before arranging in-person meetings. The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children has reported sharp increases in online enticement, sextortion and the use of generative AI in child-exploitation reports in recent years. Snap, the company behind Snapchat, says it uses proactive detection and reporting tools and has adjusted how it shares child-safety tips with NCMEC. Parents and caregivers are urged to monitor sudden changes in teens’ phone behavior and to report suspicious contacts to law enforcement or NCMEC’s CyberTipline.
Potential penalties
Under Utah law, sodomy on a child is a first-degree felony with heavy mandatory penalties and the possibility of lengthy prison terms. The offense is codified at Utah Code §76-5-403.1. The statute governing sexual abuse of a child and related penalties appears elsewhere in the state code, and Utah law notes that a defendant’s mistaken belief about a victim’s age is not an automatic defense in many child-abuse prosecutions. Prosecutors will decide whether to add or amend charges as they complete their review of the case and consult statute and precedent for guidance on potential sentencing. For the full statutory language, readers can refer to the Utah Code and its related sections.
