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SANDY — An arrest warrant has been issued for a 64-year-old man who police say inappropriately touched a 15-year-old girl he met on a social media app.
Wayne Thomas Thornton was charged Monday in 3rd District Court with unlawful sexual activity with a minor, a third-degree felony; and sexual abuse of a minor, a class A misdemeanor.
In September of 2022, police say Thornton met the teen on the Whisper app and took her to an AirBnB that he was renting in Sandy. He provided the girl with drugs and "discussed doing 'sexual things' in exchange for money," according to charging documents.
The girl told Thornton she was 15, according to prosecutors. Nevertheless, he instructed her to take her clothes off and then inappropriately touched her, the charges state.
Police say Thornton's "last known address in Utah has not been valid since June 2022" and his "last known driver's license was issued from the state of Minnesota."
Prosecutors are requesting that Thornton be held without bail once he is taken into custody.
