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SALT LAKE CITY — A 19-year-old Murray man was charged Thursday with multiple felonies for allegedly engaging in inappropriate sexual conduct with a 12-year-old girl he met on Snapchat.
Arik James Jeppsen was charged in 3rd District Court with child kidnapping, rape of a child and sodomy on a child, all first-degree felonies; two counts of sexual abuse of a child, and enticing a minor, both second-degree felonies; attempted sexual exploitation of a minor, and dealing in harmful materials to a minor, both third-degree felonies.
A 12-year-old girl told investigators that she met Jeppsen on Snapchat and for about a month starting on Jan. 30, he sent her messages requesting to meet for the purpose of having sex, in addition to sending graphic pictures of himself and requesting pictures of the girl, according to charging documents.
He later picked up the girl and took her to his house where he raped her, the charges state.
Prosecutors have requested Jeppsen be held on a high bail of $750,000.
