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LOGAN — A licensed drug rehabilitation counselor who contacted the FBI because he believed he was being targeted in an online scam now faces criminal charges after investigators say they learned he was online in the first place to entice a teenage boy for sex.
Nichalos "Nick" Deelstra, 54, of North Logan, was charged Monday in 1st District Court with sexual exploitation of a minor and dealing in harmful materials to a minor, third-degree felonies; and two counts of enticing a minor, a class A misdemeanor.
On Aug. 24, Deelstra made contact with a 15-year-old boy on Craigslist, according to police. The two exchanged text messages talking about having sex and exchanged explicit pictures, charging documents state. The two agreed to meet, but the boy never showed up.
The next day, Deelstra started receiving texts from a person claiming to be the boy's father. The father "was now demanding he send money to cover car repairs because (the boy) had damaged the vehicle while trying to go meet Nick," according to the charges.
On Aug. 29, Deelstra contacted the FBI "claiming he was a victim of a scam on Craigslist," according to court records.
The FBI asked a Logan police officer to interview Deelstra, specifically about the part where he claimed he solicited a teenage boy for sex, the charges state. After interviewing Deelstra and looking at the messages on his phone, he was arrested.
The charges do not indicate whether the 15-year-old he was allegedly texting was a real person or part of a scam.
Deelstra is a licensed vocational rehab counselor, according to the Utah Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing website. He is also listed as a counselor for the Northern Utah District of the Utah State Office of Rehabilitation.
