Chet Egley booking photo from the Cache County Jail.
LOGAN — A 41-year-old Weston, Idaho man has been sentenced for driving to a Logan park to have sex with an undercover police officer, posing as a 13-year-old girl. Chet Barry Egley was ordered to serve a combination of jail time and home confinement after telling the court he had made a mistake.
Egley was sentenced Wednesday morning, Oct. 11, in Logan’s 1st District Court. He previously accepted a plea deal, pleading guilty to two counts of enticing a minor by internet or text, a second-degree felony; and attempted sexual abuse of a child, a third-degree felony.
According to prosecutors, Egley posted a message to a chat app in Sept. 2022. The post was sexual in nature and expressed interest in engaging in indecent activities in public.
As the chat messages began, the Logan City Police officer identified herself as a 13-year-old girl.
Egley proceeded to make plans with the undercover officer to meet in person at a local park. As the meeting arrangements were made, he told the officer to “flash him” when he arrived at the park.
A short time later, police observed a vehicle and driver matching Egley’s description arriving at the park. He was observed on his phone and looking inquisitively into the park.
Police surrounded the vehicle and took Egley into custody without incident. He later admitted to chatting with the undercover officer but maintained that he was not going to go through with anything.
During Wednesday’s sentencing, Shannon Demler described Egley as a good family man, hard worker, with no prior criminal record. He asked the court to consider a sentence of probation instead of jail, saying any incarceration time would hurt his client’s family.
Egley acknowledged that he “went too far.” He claimed he was not attracted to minors, but was “blinded” by the excitement of someone being interested in him.
Judge Brian Cannell questioned why Egley drove to meet up with the undercover officer if he claimed not to be attracted to young girls. He expressed gratitude for law enforcement, investigating these “gross crimes.”
Egley was sentenced to 30 days in jail, followed by 120 days home confinement. He was also ordered to be placed on the sex-offender registry and continue therapy.