PROVO — A BYU student, husband and father has been arrested for investigation of attempting to entice someone he believed was a 13-year-old girl for sex in conversations that detailed encounters with other underage girls, police said.

Nicholas Randy Lewis, 25, of Provo, was arrested Wednesday after police say he spent more than six months chatting online with an undercover officer who he believed was a 13-year-old girl, according to an affidavit filed in 4th District Court.

In chatting with the fictional girl, Lewis quickly brought up sex and steered the conversation to becoming sexual in nature, police said. Lewis acknowledged he knew the girl was 13 and said that he "has just always liked young girls," the affidavit states.

In the messages, Lewis "bragged" about previous sexual encounters with children, including girls ranging in age from 6 to 12, the affidavit states. Lewis said some of the girls were family members, and one was the friend of a family member, police said.

Following his arrest, police questioned Lewis about the statements and he confirmed some of those encounters, said Utah County Sheriff's Sgt. Jason Randall, part of the department's special victims unit.

"That's the most important factor of this investigation, finding out if there are child victims out there," he said.

Randall confirmed that those allegations are being actively investigated, including efforts to "find, identify and get help" for sexual abuse victims who may have been struggling for years.

Lewis additionally said online that he wanted to bring the girl to his house for sex when his wife wasn't home, according to police.

State court records show Lewis has no criminal history in Utah. Randall said the case illustrates that child sex offenders and potential child sex offenders come from all walks of life.

"Unfortunately we've had a very busy year, the busiest we've ever had," he said.

Common thread: pornography addiction

In nearly all cases of child sex abuse the investigative unit has dealt with, a common thread is pornography addiction, Randall said.

"That's our biggest concern with all of these arrests, is that these individuals make a transition from having a pornography addiction to perpetrating on children," he said.

Through the online chats with the fictional 13-year-old, police say Lewis sent explicit photos and videos, at one point requesting the same from the girl. He is also accused of arranging on two occasions to meet the girl at a Provo park for sex, but then did not arrive for the encounter.

A Utah County Jail statement says he "asked the 13-year-old girl to provide him with the online user name of one of her juvenile female friends so that he could chat with her."

Lewis was booked into jail for investigation of three counts of enticing, soliciting, seducing or luring a minor by internet, and 15 counts of dealing in materials harmful to a minor. Jail records show he bailed out Friday afternoon.

Parents: Be aware of online activity

Randall implored parents to be involved in the online activity of their children. He said it's possible for juveniles to meet people who wish to exploit them in even the "most well-intentioned chat room."

"The days of just assuming your kids are being appropriate on the internet are long gone," he said.

Contributing: Ben Lockhart

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