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INTERNET COPS NAB METH SUSPECT WHILE ARRESTING CHILD PORN SUSPECTS
An alleged drug dealer is behind bars after he nearly smashed his car into investigators in the middle of an undercover operation. On February 20, members of the Utah Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force were in the process of arresting several suspects accused of possessing child pornography or preying on children over the Internet.
The arrests were delayed when 22-year-old Travis Jay Burton sped past investigators on a narrow lane and nearly hit their car. The detectives pulled Burton over and found a meth pipe and drug paraphernalia in his car. Burton had an outstanding warrant for allegedly taking an assault rifle and he was wanted for a hit and run accident in Salt Lake County.
Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Deputies arrived and took Burton to jail. The ICAC Special Agents resumed their operation and arrested 34-year-old Jeremy Moon for allegedly having pictures and videos of child pornography on his computer, including a picture of a 10-year-old child. Moon was booked into jail on ten counts of sexual exploitation of a minor.
Later that same night, ICAC investigators and Harrisville Police Officers arrested another child pornography suspect. Rex Lee Lewis, 43, is facing federal charges after a concerned citizen informed ICAC that Lewis was downloading child pornography. Lewis will make his initial court appearance today at 2:15 p.m. at the U.S. District Court in Salt Lake City.
“Sometimes even the most carefully planned surveillance operations are interrupted, but usually not by an alleged meth dealer wanted for a dangerous firearm felony,” says Ken Wallentine, Chief of Law Enforcement for the Utah Attorney General’s Office. “It was bad timing for Burton and good fortune for the victim of his earlier hit-and-run crash that our agents were out looking for a felon of a different stripe. It was a crazy but satisfying night for the ICAC Task Force because two child pornography suspects and a suspected meth dealer are now off the streets.”
The following day, another child pornography suspect turned himself in to the Salt Lake County Jail. Samuel Amparan, 31, is facing ten counts of sexual exploitation of a minor. Amparan allegedly used his home computer to download and view child pornography.
See the booking photos. In this matter and all criminal cases, defendants are presumed innocent until a conviction is entered.
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