LOGAN — A 44-year-old Tremonton man has been bound over for trial on allegations of driving to Logan to have sex with an undercover police officer, posing as a 13-year-old girl. Christopher Eric Breiland pleaded “not guilty” to the charges before being ordered to appear again in court Feb. 12.
Breiland participated in a preliminary hearing Monday, Nov. 13, in Logan’s 1st District Court. He was previously charged with attempting sodomy on a child and aggravated sexual abuse of a child, both first-degree felonies; and two counts of enticing a minor, a second-degree felony. The charges carry a maximum sentence of life in prison.
According to prosecutors, Breiland allegedly started sending messages to an undercover officer on July 14. The Logan City Police officer was posing as a teenage girl on a popular chat app, attempting to locate and identify people who might be sexually exploiting children within the community.
Police report, Breiland initially told the officer he didn’t mind “hanging out” but didn’t want to do anything “illegal.” He also discussed picking her up while he was in Logan running errands on a few occasions.
As the messages continued, Breiland allegedly began making more “sexually charged comments.” The chats became more graphic in nature, including a time when he expressed a desire to engage in sexual activity with both the undercover officer and her supposed mother.
On July 27, Breiland told the undercover officer he was coming to Logan and wanted to meet up to have sex. A location was set up, where police were waiting and arrested the suspect without incident when he arrived.
After receiving consent from Breiland, police searched his cell phone and found the chats with the undercover officer. They also found he had recently downloaded a police radio scanner app and was listening to it on his way to the meet up location.
Breiland reportedly told officers he didn’t intend to perform any of the illegal activities that he’d messaged about. He claimed that he wanted to stop and talk to the supposed girl and arrange to have her go to counseling for her problems.
According to court records, prosecutors presented their evidence during Monday’s hearing, including testimony from the police investigator. Breiland’s defense attorney also requested bail.
Judge Spencer Walsh ruled prosecutors had presented sufficient evidence to bind Breiland over for trial. He also found the defendant constituted a danger to children in the community and refused to grant bail.
Breiland was ordered to remain in the Cache County Jail and appear again in court Feb. 12 for a pretrial conference.
Individuals arrested and charged in complaints are presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.