LOGAN — A 34-year-old Perry man has been convicted of driving to Logan to have sex with an undercover officer posing as a teenage girl. Tyson Jay Tuason was found guilty following a two-day jury trial last week in Logan’s 1st District Court.
According to court records, the jury deliberated for four hours Friday night before reaching a verdict. Tuason was found guilty of three counts of attempted sodomy on a child, attempted rape of a child, and attempted child kidnapping, all first-degree felonies; along with four counts of enticing a minor, a second-degree felony; and dealing in materials harmful to a minor, a third-degree felony.
Prosecutors called several investigators to testify how Tuason messaged the undercover officer on July 25, 2023, through a popular chat app. The officer was posing as a 13-year-old girl, attempting to identify people who sexually exploit children within the community.
During the exchanged messages, Tuason arranged to meet the supposed teenager, explaining how he wanted to engage in various sex acts. He also sent two naked photos of himself.
Tuason said he wanted to pick up the undercover officer near her house. He planned to take her back to his residence, without the supposed girl’s mother knowing.
On Aug. 1, 2023, Tuason planned to pick the girl up at a predetermined spot. When he arrived, officers were waiting and arrested him without incident.
Police examined Tuason’s smartphone and found the messages with the undercover officer. They also searched his car, where they found condoms and THC vape cartridges, according to court documents.
While being interviewed, Tuason acknowledged the chats with the undercover officer. He wouldn’t discuss why he had driven to Logan except for telling the officer, he wasn’t thinking straight.
Following the jury’s verdict, Judge Edwin Peterson ordered Tuason to be taken into custody and complete a presentence report about his criminal history. The defendant will be sentenced in April and could face up to life in prison.