LOGAN — A 20-year-old Providence man has waived his rights and admitted to reportedly downloading child pornography. Samual Dayton was arrested last summer following an investigation by the Cache County Sheriff’s Office.
According to court records, Dayton appeared Dec. 2 in Logan’s 1st District Court. He accepted a plea deal, pleading “no contest” to one count of sexual exploitation of a minor, a second-degree felony. In exchange for waiving his rights to a preliminary hearing and fair trial, eight remaining charges were dismissed.
The plea meant Dayton conceded the alleged crime occurred without admitting guilt or offering a defense. It is still viewed as a guilty plea in court.
According to prosecutors, deputies began investigating Dayton after he was tracked downloading child sexual abuse material. The crimes reportedly occurred in December 2023.
Dayton was briefly booked into jail and later released under pretrial supervision. He is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 13, and could face up to 15 years in prison.