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PROVO — A man who police say identified himself as Gov. Gary Herbert's half brother as he was being arrested was charged Tuesday with enticing someone he believed was a 13-year-old girl over the internet for sex.
Paul Gordon Peters, 56, was arrested May 31 when he arrived at a Provo convenience store believing he was meeting a 13-year-old girl for sex, according to police.
He was charged Tuesday with enticing a minor over the internet, a second-degree felony; three counts of dealing in materials harmful to a minor, a third-degree felony; three counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, a second-degree felony; and one class B misdemeanor count of possessing drug paraphernalia.
On May 20, Peters began chatting over the internet with an officer posing as a 13-year-old girl, repeatedly acknowledging he was aware of her age and saying he wanted to take her virginity, according to a police affidavit filed in 4th District Court. Peters is also accused of sending photos of male genitalia as they chatted.
During the chats, Peters claimed he had engaged in sex acts with other underage girls and suggested that the "girl" should "hook him up" with her mother so he could spend more time with her, the affidavit states.
Following his arrest, Peters allowed deputies to search his phone and they discovered at least three images of child pornography, charging documents state. Investigators also discovered a text conversation "with another female" in which he claimed he intended to have sex with an 8-year-old, the police affidavit states.
An initial court appearance had not been scheduled for Peters as of Tuesday.
Herbert spokesman Jon Cox, in a prepared statement Saturday, said: "Regardless of who is being accused, the governor believes these are horrific allegations. His parents were divorced when the governor was very young, and the two were raised in different homes."
