Booking photo for Dexter K. Dayley (Courtesy: Cache County Jail)
LOGAN — A 28-year-old Logan man has confessed to sexting with teenage girls and exchanging pornographic photos with them. Dexter Dayley accepted a plea deal that will likely keep him from being sentenced to prison.
Dayley participated in a virtual hearing in 1st District Court Monday afternoon, appearing by web conference from the Cache County Jail. He pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual exploitation of a minor and two counts of enticing a minor over the internet, all second-degree felonies.
Public defender Mike McGinnis explained that as part of the plea agreement, prosecutors dropped 10 remaining charges against Dayley in exchange for his guilty plea. They also agreed to ask the court to order the defendant serve one year in jail instead of prison, at the time of sentencing.
McGinnis said they agreed upon the deal because Dayley had no criminal history.
Earlier this year, Cache County sheriff’s detectives began investigating after agents with the FBI provided a tip. They reported Dayley was engaging in sexual activity online with underage females, including sexting with a 16-year-old girl who was posing as a 13-year-old.
Detectives contacted Dayley in August as he was leaving his home. He admitted to using a social media app but stated that he tried not to talk to underage girls.
Dayley allowed detectives to view his phone. It contained conversations with multiple girls who identified themselves as being under 18-years-old. One of them, a 13-year-old sent him more than 10 photographs of her in various stages of undress. There was also other pictures of child pornography.
Dayley later admitted to receiving the images and engaging in multiple sexual conversations with underage girls. He claimed to have never met any of the alleged victims in person.
During Monday’s court hearing, Judge Angela Fonnesbeck ordered Dayley to have a report completed about his criminal history. She also scheduled sentencing for Jan. 19.
Dayley remains in jail, being held without bail.
will@cvradio.com