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Samantha Hayes ReportingThe number of Internet-related sex crimes is up in Utah this year; that's according to state investigators KSL spoke to this afternoon.
Among a group of suspects arrested in just the last six months are teachers, a college student, a former coach and a pastor. Anymore, their crime is not uncommon.
And even those in the highest positions of trust and power are getting caught. Just this week Brian Doyle, a senior Homeland Security Official, was arrested for having sexually graphic conversations with someone he thought was a 14-year old girl on the Internet.
Chris Ahearn, Internet Crimes Against Children: "We would like to see this problem go away. We are motivated to make arrests because of the damage these people do to individuals and society."
Wednesday, Jose Merino from West Jordan was charged with rape, sodomy and sexual abuse of a minor. Investigators say he posed as a 16-year old on the Internet to entice teenagers to meet him in person. Merino is the latest suspect charged in internet-related sex crimes.
Chris Ahearn: "They might feel other people don't have the technical ability to track them down and identify them."
Last year, state undercover operations resulted in 60 arrests. Investigators believe they will arrest more than 90 by the end of this year.
