HOLLADAY — A 28-year-old West Jordan man has been arrested and accused of sending sexually suggestive messages and pictures to a 9-year-old girl and asking her if she wanted to have sex.
Taylor Bishop was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail on Friday for investigation of enticing a minor and lewdness involving a child.
A Holladay family bought a used cellphone for their 9-year-old daughter. The girl created a Facebook account on the phone, which automatically linked to the previous owner, according to a police affidavit.
The girl got into the Messenger app and Bishop sent her a message saying “Hi,” the affidavit states.
“The conversation continued with (the girl). telling Taylor she was little and that she was the age of 9. Taylor told her he was 28,” according to the affidavit.
Police say the girl then told Bishop she was actually 14 but looked young.
The two sent pictures to each other and used FaceTime to communicate, during which Bishop exposed his genitals to the girl, the affidavit states.
Bishop then offered to buy the girl dinner and arranged a meeting at a hotel, according to police. The girl’s parents discovered the messages, including one in which Bishop asked the girl, “Do you want to have sex?” and they contacted police, according to the affidavit.
On Friday, police contacted Bishop and questioned him.
“Taylor said it was by accident in the beginning, but he actually found out she was 9 years of age and then was told that she was 14,” police wrote in the affidavit. “Taylor told me she was 9 and (he) still engaged in a conversation with her knowing her age.”
Bishop denied wanting to have sex with the girl. Police then asked if Bishop wanted to write a letter of apology to the girl, which he did.
“I’m sorry for what I did it won’t happen happy again I’m sorry I’m a bad boy I’m sorry,” he wrote, according to the affidavit.