GRANTSVILLE — A Tooele County man arrested Thursday night is accused of sexually abusing at least three children, and police are hearing from other families as news of the investigation has spread.
Police began investigating Mark Swan, 48, after a parent came forward on Thursday and said a family acquaintance had inappropriately touched their three children, according to a police probable cause statement for his arrest. The investigating officer describes Swan in the statement as "a serial abuser with many victims coming forward."
Swan was arrested for investigation of 37 charges, including 10 counts of rape of a child, 10 counts of object rape of a child and 10 counts of sodomy of a child. The probable cause statement details allegations that Swan sexually abused three children.
Since KUTV News aired a story about Swan's arrest at 5 p.m. on Friday, five more families have come forward to police with concerns that their children may also have been sexually abused by Swan, Grantsville police detective Cody Painter said shortly after 7 p.m.
Police have interviewed one of those children, who told investigators he was also abused by Swan, Painter said. Police were setting up interviews with the rest of the children.
According to the probable cause statement, two girls, aged 7 and 11, told police Swan had inappropriately touched or exposed himself to them on several different occasions at his home. During one of the incidents, the 7-year-old said, Swan put his hand on the door and wouldn't let her leave the room.
A 13-year-old boy also told police that Swan had been sexually assaulting him for more than four years, according to the report. The boy told police Swan made videos of their sexual encounters.
After the three children initially reported the abuse, another child also came forward and said Swan had touched him inappropriately, police wrote. They were investigating that claim as well.
A search of Swan's house turned up several items similar to items the 13-year-old boy had described as being used in the abuse, according to the probable cause statement.
It also states that Swan threatened the victims and told them not to talk to police.
"I fear if released, Mark could harm the victims for speaking to law enforcement," the police officer wrote.
A 3rd District Court judge in Tooele on Friday morning ordered that Swan be held without bail.
Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly said that nine families came forward since news reports of the allegations. As of Friday evening, five other families had contacted police.