LOGAN — A 23-year-old Magna man has admitted to driving to Cache Valley to attempt to have sex with a 9-year-old girl last year. Jesus Garcia has been in the Cache County Jail since arriving at a prearranged location, Feb. 7, and finding police waiting to take him into custody.
According to court records, Garcia appeared Jan. 27 in Logan’s 1st District Court. He accepted a plea deal, pleading guilty to attempted sodomy on a child, a first-degree felony; and two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, a second-degree felony. As part of the resolution, prosecutors dismissed 11 remaining charges.
According to prosecutors, Garcia began communicating last January with a Logan City Police officer. The officer was posing as a father of a 9-year-old girl.
Garcia messaged the undercover officer, expressing a desire to rape the young girl. The messages included graphic depictions of what the defendant wanted to do.
On Feb. 7, Garcia made arrangements to drive to Logan to carry out his plans with the officer and the supposed little girl. Police gave the Magna man an address to meet at and asked for him to bring a gift for the child.
At the designated time, a man pulled up to the undercover officer’s vehicle and introduced himself as Garcia. The officer asked the man if he wanted to follow him to his home where the girl was waiting and Garcia reportedly said “yes.”
Nearby officers then surrounded the vehicle and took Garcia into custody. They later searched the car and found a pink stuffed animal in the trunk. A receipt showed it was purchased the day before.
During questioning, Garcia admitted to chatting with the undercover officer and driving to Logan to engage in sexual activities with the 9-year-old girl. He also said he bought the stuffed animal as a gift for the child.
Garcia also acknowledged to chatting with other underage minors in the past year and receiving naked photographs from a 16 or 17-year-old girl. A search of his phone later uncovered several images of child pornography.
Garcia remains in jail, being held without bail. He is scheduled to be sentenced Mar. 10 and could face up to life in prison.