A man who police say is responsible for a series of child molestations over a five-month period was charged Tuesday in 3rd District Court.
Cuong Manh Tran, 45, a transient, was charged with two counts of sodomy upon a child and six counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a child, first-degree felonies. Locations of the alleged molestations ranged from 4100 South to 700 North.
Tran is in Salt Lake County Jail on $250,000 bail. If convicted, he faces life in prison. Tran is accused in eight incidents involving 10 girls between 3 and 9 years old.
Tran found the girls at duplexes and apartment complexes, said West Valley Police detective Kevin Nudd.
In some incidents, the children's mothers intervened before Tran could act or shortly thereafter. Tran was identified by some of the girls and their mothers from a photo lineup, charges state.
In all the incidents, the man was riding a dark-colored mountain bike. When Tran was arrested on Oct. 26, police found a bike matching that description, charges state.