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SALT LAKE CITY — A man accused of following a young girl as she walked to school and offering her $100 to get into his car has been criminally charged.
Jose Manzanarez Munoz, 53, of West Valley City, was charged Tuesday in 3rd District Court with attempted child kidnapping, a first-degree felony.
On April 25, a 12-year-old girl was walking to Liberty Elementary School, 1085 S. Roberta Street, when Munoz pulled up next to her in his dark green GMC truck and asked if she wanted a ride, according to charging documents.
The girl told him, "No," prompting Munoz to pull out a $100 bill and telling her that she could have the money if she got into the car with him, police stated. The girl "ran to her school" while Munoz "kept trying to intercept her with his vehicle," the charges state.
Surveillance video collected by detectives showed Munoz approaching the girl and her running away.
Using the video footage, detectives were able to get a license plate number and identify a possible suspect. Munoz was spotted near 550 W. 200 South and arrested. He allegedly admitted to following the girl and using his vehicle to block her path, the charges state. Police also found a $100 bill in his wallet.
Prosecutors have requested that Munoz be held in the Salt Lake County Jail without the possibility of posing bail pending trial.
