LEHI — Parents are being urged to remain vigilant after Lehi police arrested three suspected child predators in just a matter of weeks.
According to investigators, this number is unfortunately typical — and is a troubling reminder of how prevalent online predators can be. Police said that's why it's so deeply concerning to them.
Lehi Police Sgt. Jeff Smith said it's "a huge concern" for the department to see so many predator cases in such a short period of time. He said it should also be "a huge concern for parents and the public as a whole."
Police arrested two of the suspects last week and another earlier in January. In each case, officers posed as a man with access to a 13‑year‑old girl. The suspects — men ages 61, 41, and 36 — believed they were communicating with someone who could introduce them to a minor.
Investigators say all three suspects used chat applications with messaging features to make contact.
Smith said the department is "finding individuals that are attracted to children," and the online platforms make it easy for predators to seek out victims.
Lehi's investigative team has built a strong reputation for identifying and arresting online predators. Last year, the unit received the Commander's Award from the Utah Attorney General's Office of Internet Crimes Against Children for its effectiveness.
Smith has a clear message for parents: "There needs to be oversight of their children's mobile devices, and that's not just cellphones, anything that can access these apps. If it has a chat feature," Smith said, "they need to be very, very careful and have a lot of oversight."
Police also noted that the 36‑year‑old suspect arrested in January was already on probation and was a registered sex offender.
