Booking photo for Tanner P. Clark (Courtesy: Cache County Jail)
LOGAN — A 27-year-old South Weber man, convicted previously of unlawful sexual activity with a minor, has been arrested and charged with driving to Wellsville to meet up with a 15-year-old girl. Tanner P. Clark was booked Wednesday into the Cache County Jail, where he is temporarily being held without bail.
According to an arrest affidavit, Clark drove to a church parking lot in Wellsville to meet the teenager in person. He drove away when the girl and her friends became suspicious of him.
The alleged victim told deputies, Clark added her as a friend on SnapChat in December. He told her that he was 17-years-old and lived in Brigham City. About two weeks into the relationship, the suspect began asking her to send nude photographs to him, which she refused to do.
The girl stated that Clark messaged her earlier and asked to meet up. He told her that he wanted to drive around with his hand on her lap and that they could go where nobody else was.
The teenager stated that she talked to her friends and that they agreed to go with her to meet Clark. When he arrived at the parking lot and saw the girl’s friends, he drove away.
The girl’s friends were able to take several photos and videos of Clark and the vehicle he was driving. They provided them to deputies, who were able to track the car to the suspect’s apartment in Weber County.
The affidavit stated Clark was taken into custody at his apartment by probation agents. They also searched the residence and located a smartphone, which he was prohibited from possessing. The phone was turned over to the state crime lab for a forensic analysis.
Clark was interviewed by investigators at the Cache County Sheriff’s Office. He refused to answer any questions and requested an attorney.
Clark was arraigned during a virtual hearing in 1st District Court Thursday afternoon, appearing by web conference from jail. He was charged with seven counts of enticing a minor over the internet, both second and third-degree felonies.
Judge Brian Cannell ordered Clark to remain in jail and appear again in court next week.
Davis County Court records show, Clark pleaded guilty to multiple counts of attempted sexual exploitation and unlawful sexual conduct with a minor in 2018. He was later sentenced to 90 days in jail and then placed on probation.
will@cvradio.com