A 25-year-old Murray man is facing criminal charges after police say he messaged a 14-year-old runaway on social media, picked her up in a black sedan, and touched her inappropriately near a transit-adjacent neighborhood in Murray, Utah. Sayed Eqbal Omran was arrested after officers were called to a report of a found child at 47 West and Fireclay Avenue, according to court documents.
According to FOX 13 News Utah, the investigation began on June 22 after the girl, who had reportedly run away from her South Salt Lake home, was found in Murray. Investigators say the teen had identified Omran's Instagram account and communicated with him through both iMessage and social media before the two ever met in person. The outlet reports the girl told Omran she was 14 years old.
Court documents cited by the station say Omran obtained the victim's phone number and later followed her around a park before arriving in a black sedan. He is accused of driving her to a nearby parking lot, where he allegedly kissed her and touched her over her clothes. Murray police seized Omran's phone as part of the investigation, and detectives reviewed messages between him and the teen to help establish the timeline of their contact.
Charges Range From Misdemeanor to Felony Exposure
Omran faces charges that include sexual abuse of a minor, unlawful adolescent sexual activity, and unlawful kissing of a minor, per police. Under Utah Code § 76-5-401.1, sexual abuse of a minor is classified as a class A misdemeanor when someone four or more years older than a 14- or 15-year-old touches private areas or takes indecent liberties, and state law specifies that touching accomplished through clothing satisfies the physical contact element, according to the Utah State Legislature.
Because Omran is 11 years older than the victim, he also faces potential felony exposure. Engaging in unlawful sexual activity with a 14-year-old when the actor is 21 or older is a third-degree felony punishable by up to five years in state prison, as detailed by RAINN. A class A misdemeanor conviction, by contrast, carries a maximum of 364 days in county jail and fines up to $2,500 per count under Utah sentencing guidelines.
The distinction matters beyond the courtroom. Under Utah Code § 53-29-203, people convicted of felony sex crimes involving minors must register on the state's Sex, Kidnap, and Child Abuse Offender Registry for a minimum of 10 years or life, while first-time class A misdemeanor convictions do not automatically trigger registry placement, according to the Utah State Legislature.
Digital Messages Could Shape Additional Charges
Utah Code § 76-5-417 separately makes it a felony to knowingly use electronic communications or social media platforms, such as Instagram or iMessage, to solicit, entice, or lure a minor into illegal sexual conduct, per the Utah State Legislature. That statute underscores why investigators seized Omran's phone: forensic extractions from mobile devices and messaging apps routinely corroborate timelines and establish intent in these prosecutions, according to Stone River Law.
That pattern has played out before in Salt Lake County. In June, South Salt Lake police and 3rd District Court prosecutors filed felony exploitation charges against a separate 25-year-old man after a mobile phone forensic search that grew out of an initial minor grooming investigation, as Hoodline previously reported. It remains to be seen whether a similar review of Omran's messages leads to additional counts beyond those already filed.
Runaway Youth Face Heightened Risk in Salt Lake County
The case also highlights the vulnerability of runaway minors in the area. An August report from Salt Lake County found that youth under 18 make up roughly 22% of Utah's unhoused population, with unhoused and runaway teens facing elevated risks of exploitation and physical safety threats, according to Salt Lake County. Salt Lake County Youth Services operates a 24/7 crisis intervention center and emergency shelter at 177 West Price Avenue in South Salt Lake, offering shelter, food, and crisis counseling for runaway teens aged 12 to 17.
The Murray neighborhood where officers responded to the report of a found child sits within the Birkhill at Fireclay redevelopment district, a dense residential area situated directly along the Utah Transit Authority TRAX light rail line, according to Murray City planning records. No further details on Omran's court dates or additional potential charges have been released.
