SALT LAKE CITY – A man was arrested in Harrisville last week for taking pictures of underage girls shopping at Deseret Industries, and police believe the suspect may be connected to a similar crime in Salt Lake City.
Gabriel Araiza-Guel, 39, was arrested August 19 after he was confronted by a security guard at Deseret Industries.
Chief Maxwell Jackson of Harrisville PD said the security guard is also an off-duty cop who works for Layton PD, and he said the guard noticed the suspect following a 7-year-old girl and taking photos. An employee spotted the man doing the same thing to a 15-year-old girl.
As the security guard confronted Araiza-Guel, the suspect allegedly began manipulating his phone—possibly in an effort to delete images. The guard identified himself as an off-duty cop and took the man’s phone and detained him until Harrisville officers could respond.
Both girls were unaware the man was taking photos of them.
“Props first of all to Deseret Industries for hiring security personnel that are trained to observe folks like that who prey upon children in these types of situations,” Chief Jackson said.
Araiza-Guel was booked into the Weber County Jail and faces charges of voyeurism and disorderly conduct. Police say they are investigating the possibility the man is connected to a similar incident in Salt Lake City.
