SALT LAKE CITY (ABC 4 News) - The Utah Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force arrested four men last Thursday, September 3, on child sex abuse charges.
Matt Messner, 39, Shane Lopez,40, Dallen Ashton, 20, were arrested for having child pornography, and a 19-year-old suspect was arrested for possibly possessing child pornography.
Despite budget cuts, the Utah ICAC Task Force has handled 89.5% more arrests during the first six months of the year compared to the same period last year.
“We actually see a spike in children being victimized on the Internet and through text messaging once school starts,” says Capt. Rhett McQuiston, Utah ICAC Task Force Commander. “Sometimes the predators are other children but most of the time they are adults who are pretending to be children or teenagers.”
“The start of the school season is a good time for parents to take a refresher course on how to protect their children from online predators,” says Attorney General Mark Shurtleff. “Parents need to know what is coming in and out of their children’s computers and cell phones.”
More information can be found
http://www.attorneygeneral.utah.gov/internet_safety.html.
