UTAH COUNTY (ABC4 News) –A man arrested during a Valentine’s Day sting is now facing more charges.
Last week, the Utah County Sheriff’s Office released information regarding the arrest of Richard Michael Martin, age 29, of Riverton, on nine 2nd degree felony charges of enticing a minor by internet or text.
During the initial part of that investigation, detectives with the Utah County Sheriff’s Office, Special Victims Task Force, and Detectives with Lehi Police Department say they collected items belonging to Richard Martin, including a cell phone.
Officials say as part of the ongoing investigation in this case detectives with Utah County Sheriff’s Office obtained a search warrant for that cell phone. Court documents state that when the phone was examined detectives discovered numerous items of child pornography including videos and photographs.
Utah County officials say there were at least 10 downloaded videos depicting child pornography and 10 photographs depicting child pornography. Of those 10 photographs, four of them were downloaded to Martin’s phone, while six of them were photographs taken by Martin of a young, prepubescent female child, documents state.
During an interview with Martin, detectives say they learned he had distributed pornographic images of this young female on at least two occasions.
Authorizes say while Martin was already being held in jail on the previous charges with a bail amount of $30,000.00 cash or bond, he is now also being held on 22 2nd-degree felony counts of sexual exploitation of a minor.
Bail on those charges has been set at $50,000.00 cash or bond. Total bail for Martin is now $80,000.00 cash or bond. This case remains active.
To read Martins original charges see the story here.
