WEST JORDAN — An 88-year-old man has been arrested and accused of inviting a young girl into his house by offering her candy and then sexually abusing her.
Ronald Charles Jones, of West Jordan, was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail Tuesday for investigation of two counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a child, attempted aggravated sexual abuse of a child, and two counts of unlawful kissing of a child.
On July 9, a girl who is under the age of 8, told police "she was riding her bike home from her friend's house and saw the suspect sitting on his front porch and he wanted to give her candy. The victim said she went inside the suspect's home for candy, which she had done previously, and the suspect took her to his bedroom," according to a police booking affidavit.
Jones kissed the girl on her lips, then took her into the basement of his house and inappropriately touched her, exposed himself and kissed her again, the affidavit alleges.
The girl told her mother on July 12 what had allegedly happened and police were notified three days later.
Police questioned Jones on Tuesday. He denied all the allegations but was subsequently arrested following the interview, the affidavit states.
Investigators also called Jones "an influential member" of his church who told police "children come to his house often where he provides them with candy," according to the affidavit.
Jones pleaded guilty to sexual solicitation in 1990, according to court records.
