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Editor's note: This case was expunged in May 2024.
BLUFFDALE — A criminal case against a family therapist charged with downloading child pornography has been dismissed in court.
Tyson Joseph Jensen, 38, of Bluffdale, was charged March 20 in 3rd District Court with three counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, a second-degree felony.
Jensen was a licensed clinical social worker employed at Lighthouse Counseling Services in Riverton at the time the charges were filed. He surrendered his license to practice to the Utah Division of Professional Licensing shortly after. Last month, after his criminal case was dismissed, his license was reinstated, according to state records.
Jensen was accused of downloading child pornography three times in February.
But after his court case started, Jensen's defense attorneys argued that their client was not properly given his Miranda rights when he was arrested at his house, according to court documents, and any admissions he may have made during his arrest should not be allowed as evidence. In September, prosecutors agreed.
"On Aug. 11 the defense filed a motion to suppress all of (Jensen's) admissions for an alleged Miranda violation. Having reviewed the motion and memorandum in support, the state finds the objection well taken. Therefore, the state stipulates to the suppression of all statements made by (Jensen) during the interview in his home on March 17. In light of this suppression, the state hereby moves in the interests of justice to dismiss this matter without prejudice," prosecutors wrote in their stipulation to the defense's motion to have the case dismissed.
