Update: The records of the case against David Michael Vance were expunged by the 2nd District Court on June 7, 2013.
A Davis County corrections officer charged with trying to lure a teenage boy to a church parking lot for sex is the first "traveler" case involving a law enforcement officer in Utah.
David Michael Vance, 26, was charged Wednesday in 2nd District Court with enticing a minor over the Internet, a second-degree felony.
A part-time Realtor, Vance had worked at the Davis County Jail for about 1 1/2 years performing various tasks such as booking inmates, patrolling prisoners on the floor and watching the facility in the control pod, Davis County Sheriff Capt. Kenny Payne said. Following his arrest, Vance was placed on administrative leave without pay, Payne said.
While similar arrests of police officers luring children for sex over the Internet have taken place in other states like Florida, Lt. Ken Hansen, with the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, said this is the first time the task force has arrested a Utah officer for arranging to meet a child for sex over the Internet.
"It's upsetting," Hansen said. "I'm always kind of shocked when these people show up to meet what they think are children. It is disturbing to us."
Agents from the Northern Utah Computer Crimes against Children Task Force had followed activity in a local Internet chat room for several days, a Box Elder County sheriff statement said.
During an Internet chat late Tuesday and early Wednesday with an undercover officer he believed was a 13-year-old boy, Vance solicited a sex act from the minor, according to charges filed Wednesday in 2nd District Court. Vance arranged to meet the boy in a church parking lot near his home in Layton, according to charges. Vance arrived at approximately 1:20 a.m. and was arrested, charges state.
During an interview with police, Vance admitted he used a computer in his basement to arrange the meeting with the boy, charges state.
Members of the task force include Davis County sheriff detectives, who knew Vance but probably not very well, Payne said. "I guess it does make it more difficult to comprehend that an individual involved in law enforcement who's sworn to protect and serve would be engaged in a crime of a predatory nature, supposing it's a child," Deputy Davis County Attorney Troy Rawlings said. "It's difficult from that aspect but from a prosecution standpoint it doesn't make it any more difficult at all." A co-worker from the Coldwell Banker real estate office in Farmington where Vance worked part time described him as "very nice."
"We were very surprised," said the co-worker, who asked not to be identified.
Vance appeared before Judge Darwin Hansen on Wednesday hours after he was arrested and booked into the Davis County jail on $25,000 bail. Hansen released Vance on his own recognizance and is scheduled for a roll call hearing Oct. 9.
Since the Olympics, Hansen said the task force has arrested about two people a week. The perpetrators come from all walks of life, from teachers to pediatricians.
"I'm just amazed at how many people will actually go out and meet an underage girl or underage boy," Hansen said. "It's disturbing."
E-MAIL: lhancock@desnews.com ; djensen@desnews.com