A man posing as a photographer for a modeling agency was charged with two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor Tuesday in 3rd Circuit Court.
William H. Stites, 35, was charged with the second-degree felonies after allegedly telling two Salt Lake County girls he was a photographer. The girls, ages 16 and 17, both posed partially nude for Stites, according to circuit court documents.Twice in October 1994, Stites held photography sessions with one of the girls at a business he owned in Sandy, the documents said.
In a separate incident last November, Stites was allegedly referred to the other juvenile by an agent at McCarty Modeling. The juvenile was photgraphed partially nude. Later, Stites reportedly told the victim's sister he had destroyed the photos.
In April, deputy sheriffs issued a search warrant and searched the business at 9318 S. 700 East. Police recovered photographs and video cassettes of the incidents.
Susie McCarty, owner of Salt Lake's McCarty Modeling, said her business uses only reputable photographers.
"I would never send a girl to an unknown photographer," McCarty said. McCarty, who has been in the modeling business for 20 years, said she had never heard of, or done business with, Stites or the victim who used the business's name in reports to police.
Stites was also known as Tanner Cole, Ted Wilson and William Hatfield.