PARAGONAH, Utah — Law enforcement officials in Iron County have arrested seven men accused of arranging to pay for sex with 13-year-old girls.
The arrests occurred after a joint operation by Parowan Police Department, Iron County Sheriff’s Office, Iron County Attorney’s Office, Iron/Garfield/Beaver Narcotics Task Force, Homeland Security Investigation, Utah Highway Patrol and Veterans for Child Rescue.
According to Parowan Police, 30-year-old Jason Everette Livermore, 30-year-old Phillip Michael Gerstner, 30-year-old Carlos Valenzuela Nunez, 71-year-old Floyd Jennings, 53-year-old James Micheal Garrelts, 31-year-old Trevor John Bodily and 46-year-old Eugene H. Alvarado Jr. each responded to an online ad and met with a confidential informant to arrange for sex with one or two 13-year-old girls.
“The ad had a picture of two young females with a phone number and a link to other sites. The suspects contacted the number and exchanged several phone conversations or text messages with the [confidential informant],” a statement from Parowan Police said. “In the conversations, the [confidential informant] made it clear they would be having sex with one or more 13-year-old children. The suspects agreed to the terms for location, time and payment and requested one or both 13-year-old girls.”
Police said each of the suspects then traveled to a house in northern Iron County, where law enforcement officers “moved in and made the arrest.”
Livermore, of St. George, was arrested February 15 and faces one count each of conspiracy to commit child rape, conspiracy to commit forcible sodomy and enticing a minor.
Gerstner, of Jerome, Idaho, was arrested February 16 and faces one count of conspiracy to commit child rape.
Nunez, of Enterprise, was arrested February 17 and faces one count of conspiracy to commit child rape.
Jennings, of St. George, was arrested February 18 and faces two counts of conspiracy to commit child rape.
Garrelts, of Cedar City, was arrested February 18 and faces two counts of conspiracy to commit child rape.
Bodily, of Clearfield, faces one count of attempting to commit child sodomy, one count of attempting to commit child rape and one count of failure to stop at the command of officers.
Alvarado, of Sunnyvale, California, was arrested February 19 and faces two counts of attempted child rape, two counts of attempted aggravated kidnapping and two counts of dealing harmful materials to a minor.
