- Ronald Charles Jones, 88, faces charges accusing him of kidnapping and sexually abusing a young girl.
- Jones is accused of luring the girl into his West Jordan home with candy.
- Prosecutors seek to hold Jones without bail.
WEST JORDAN — An 88-year-old man was charged Monday with inviting a young girl into his house by offering her candy and then sexually abusing her.
Ronald Charles Jones, of West Jordan, is charged in 3rd District Court with child kidnapping and three counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a child, first-degree felonies; plus unlawful kissing of a child and lewdness involving a child, class A misdemeanors.
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.
The girl later told police that "she received treats from 'Brother Jones,' later identified as defendant Ronald Jones. She said Jones 'was not a good person' and he 'wanted her to keep secrets,'" charging documents allege.
After attempting to inappropriately touch the girl, she said "Jones often gave her candy and asked her to keep it a secret," the charges state.
On this day, the girl said she "resisted by telling him it was against the law," according to the charges. But Jones, who prosecutors say exposed himself to the girl and inappropriately touched her, "would not let her leave without kissing him on the lips."
The girl said, "Once she was able to get away, she ran upstairs, out of the house, and rode her bike home," the charges state. After the girl's mother asked her daughter what she was doing at Jones' residence, she told her what had allegedly happened. The mother then called the police.
Prosecutors say Jones used his position "as a trusted member" of the victim's church congregation, where he has held "several high positions."
"(Jones) admitted that he oftentimes hands candy out to children and that children in the neighborhood frequently visit his house," the charges say.
Investigators have requested that he be held in the Salt Lake County Jail without the possibility of posting bail pending trial.
