A 55-year-old man already on federal probation for a prior child pornography conviction is now facing 10 new state felony counts after investigators traced child sexual abuse material to the public Wi-Fi network at the Salt Lake City Public Library. Adrian Mathias Perea was booked into Salt Lake County Jail and is being held without bail following the arrest.
According to ABC4 Utah, Perea faces 10 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, all second-degree felonies under Utah law. Investigators with the Utah Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force say an IP address leased to the Salt Lake City Public Library was observed on a peer-to-peer network distributing CSAM, and that they captured both the library's IP address and the suspect computer's MAC address multiple times during September and October 2026.
In this case, investigators captured the library's IP address and the suspect computer's MAC address multiple times during September and October 2026. Perea was later considered a possible match based on that network activity.
Search Warrants Zeroed In On the Library
Search warrants obtained during the investigation provided the Salt Lake City Public Library access point and general location of the then-unknown suspect, the station's report states. The task force investigation at the library ultimately identified Perea as a possible match for the suspect using that network activity.
Perea admitted to having a laptop and to using the library's wireless network, per the same account, but he denied knowledge of any peer-to-peer file-sharing software or illegal files on his computer. Investigators later obtained a separate search warrant for his personal property. That search turned up multiple files of CSAM along with a folder structure and an application associated with a peer-to-peer network, according to the report.
The City of Salt Lake City lists some free Wi-Fi locations and links to library branch computer labs. The library's wireless network was involved in the investigation.
Federal Probation Status Raises the Stakes
Perea was already on federal probation for receiving child pornography at the time of this arrest, according to the ABC4 report. The Federal Judicial Center discusses computer and internet supervision conditions, including restrictions, monitoring and inspections, in its guidance for supervising cybercrime offenders.
Perea's new state case follows a prior conviction that left him on federal probation.
In Utah, sexual exploitation of a minor is classified as a second-degree felony under Utah Code Section 76-5b-201, carrying a maximum sentence of up to 15 years in state prison per count, along with mandatory registration on the Utah Sex Offender Registry upon conviction, according to Intermountain Legal.
Task Force Has Scaled Up Enforcement Statewide
The investigation was carried out by the Utah Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, operated under the lead direction of the Utah Office of the Attorney General, which lists 101 affiliates for the task force. The Utah Office of the Attorney General has also reported Operation Hive Strike.
The Utah State Library says libraries seeking state funding must filter their computers. The investigation involved activity on the library's wireless network.
Perea remains held without bail at Salt Lake County Jail as the case proceeds. Prosecutors have not detailed a timeline for the state charges, and it remains unclear how the pending federal probation matter will intersect with the new Utah case going forward.
