A 24-year-old West Valley man is behind bars after allegedly arranging to meet up with a 13-year-old boy for sexual activity, walking straight into a surveillance operation set up to catch him. Juan Carlos Bisamon Tovar was taken into custody without incident once he arrived on foot at the pre-arranged meeting spot, according to investigators.
The case came together after the FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force became aware of and intervened in the interaction, as reported by ABC4 Utah. Task force members established surveillance at the location where Tovar had agreed to meet the boy, and when he showed up, West Valley police stepped in and made the arrest.
What Investigators Say Tovar Messaged the Boy
According to the reported facts, Tovar messaged the 13-year-old boy about oral sex and stated that he did not mind that the boy was only 13 years old. Investigators also confirmed that Tovar had the device used to plan the meet-up in his possession at the time of his arrest.
Tovar was interviewed at the West Valley Police Department, where, per the police interview, he admitted to communicating with the boy. Court documents cited in the same report say Tovar claimed his purpose was to educate the child about the dangers of meeting people online and the risk of HIV, and the documents also stated that Tovar said he was HIV-positive.
Felony Charges Now Facing Tovar
Tovar is being held on one count of attempted sodomy on a child, a first-degree felony, and one count of enticing a minor, a second-degree felony. The enticement charge falls under Utah Code Section 76-5-417, a state statute addressing the enticing of a minor to engage in sexual activity, according to Utah state law.
Beyond the charges and the account of the surveillance operation, further details about the case — including scheduling of any court proceedings or a defense response — have not been made public.
