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Man charged with trading cigarettes, alcohol for sex with teens

Man charged with trading cigarettes, alcohol for sex with teens

(Salt Lake County Sheriff)


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KEARNS — A Washington state man who police say was trading cigarettes and alcohol for sexual favors from teenage girls now faces four felony charges.

Benjamin Hunter Grayson, 23, of Sammamish, Washington, was charged Thursday in 3rd District Court with forcible sodomy and rape, first-degree felonies; forcible sexual abuse, a second-degree felony; and enticing a minor, a third-degree felony.

Unified police have identified at least three victims, ages 14, 16 and 17, according to charging documents.

The 16-year-old victim told police she met Grayson on Snapchat and he offered to buy her “smokes.” The two met at a convenience store where Grayson bought her cigarettes, then took her the parking lot of a local recreation center and forced her to engage in sexual acts, according to charging documents.

This happened at least one other time where Grayson forced the teen to engage in sexual activity and then threw cigarettes at her as she left, the charges state.

The 17-year-old victim told police she also met Grayson through Snapchat and “had sexual intercourse with him in exchange for alcohol,” according to court documents.

The 14-year-old girl also met Grayson through Snapchat and through one of the other girls. On Oct. 27, Grayson promised her alcohol in exchange for sex, the charges state. When he later arrived at the girl’s house, police were waiting for him and arrested him.

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Pat Reavy, KSLPat Reavy
Pat Reavy interned with KSL in 1989 and has been a full-time journalist for either KSL or Deseret News since 1991. For the past 25 years, he has worked primarily the cops and courts beat.
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