BOX ELDER COUNTY, Utah — A 39-year-old Provo man is in custody and faces multiple felony charges in northern Utah after prosecutors accused him of using electronic devices to entice a minor into illegal sexual activity, according to court documents filed Monday.
Russell Cory Nielsen was charged Oct. 26 in Brigham City’s 1st District Court with two counts of enticing a minor involving first-degree felony sexual activity, each classified as a second-degree felony under state law.
The charges stem from separate alleged incidents occurring in Box Elder County between Sept. 30 and Oct. 1, according to the criminal information filed by the Box Elder County Attorney’s Office. The case was brought following an investigation led by the Perry Police Department, the filing states.
Nielsen was identified in court records as being in custody as of the date of filing. The charging information did not provide specific details regarding whether the communications involved a child or an undercover investigator posing as a minor.
Under Utah sentencing guidelines, a conviction on a second-degree felony can carry a statutory prison sentence of one to 15 years and fines of up to $10,000 per count. An initial court date has been set for November 2.
Individuals arrested and charged in complaints are presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.