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Andrew Adams and Sandra Yi reportingA local veterinarian has been arrested for sex crimes with teenagers. It apparently started out with one teen, but now police say there are several more victims.
Police say 47-year-old Gary Durrant brought teenage boys to his home in Midvale. They say he lured them with drugs and then would have sex with them.
"He's a predator, definitely preying on juveniles," said Sgt. John Salazar, spokesman for the Midvale Police Department.
Police began to investigate about three weeks ago after a phone call from one of the boy's mothers. She found text messages on her son's cell phone.
"They talked on the phone, and after their initial conversation, they met in the parking lot of a local church in the area," Salazar said.
Police say Durrant took the teen to his house, where he gave the boy meth and had sex with him. "The boy, on a second meeting, introduced two of his friends to our suspect. There again, drugs were given, alcohol was available also, and marijuana was in the house," Salazar said.
Officers served a search warrant at Durrant's home on Friday. "It's pretty sick," Salazar said. "You're just appalled at some people's behavior, especially when he's a doctor held in high esteem in society and then he victimizes children."
Cameron Bybee lives across the street from Durrant. He often saw Durrant working in the garage in the middle of the night. "He was very secluded, always stayed in his house," Bybee said.
Durrant's veterinary license is also under scrutiny. The Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing says Durrant prescribed Viagra to a dog and then gave the drugs to his friends.
State licensing officials say that, while working at a pet clinic in Sandy, Durrant also failed to provide adequate post-surgery care to animals.
Durrant left that clinic in 2006, a few months before he was put on probation. The clinic itself was not accused of wrongdoing.
Durrant most recently worked at a Riverton vet clinic. Managers there would only say Durrant is no longer employed there.
Police say they've identified five possible victims between 14 and 17 years old, but they fear there could be more.
E-mail: aadams@ksl.com
E-mail: syi@ksl.com
