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PRICE — A Price man is facing felony charges after police say he approached a teenage boy on the street and offered him money in exchange for sex.
Leon Carl Mead, 58, was charged Wednesday in 7th District Court with aggravated exploitation of a prostitute, a second-degree felony; and two third-degree felony counts of sexual solicitation and distribution of pornography by an adult.
The sexual solicitation charge — typically filed as a class B misdemeanor — was enhanced to a felony because Mead is aware that he is HIV positive, according to charging documents.
A teenage boy called police May 24 to report that Mead had stopped him on the sidewalk about 3:30 p.m. as the youth was walking to work. "Mr. Mead engages in a brief conversation with the juvenile and offers him money for a sex act," Price Police Capt. Bill Barnes said.
The teen told officers that when he refused Mead's offer, the man offered him more money if he would engage in a different sex act with him, Barnes said.
"He immediately distanced himself from Mr. Mead, got to work and called police," the captain said.
"This was the classic 'stranger danger' type of situation, which is quite rare," Barnes said. "I can't praise the youth enough because he did exactly the right thing."
State court records show Mead pleaded guilty to lewdness in 2006 for committing a lewd act at a Salt Lake County Library branch.
He was released on bail Wednesday.
