Charges: SL man solicited minor, used LDS building for sex encounters

SALT LAKE CITY — A man who told police he used an LDS meetinghouse that he had access to as a place to have sex with prostitutes has been arrested and charged with trying to meet up with a 12-year-old, according to court documents.

David Brian Lichtenstein, 24, of Salt Lake City, was arrested Tuesday and charged Thursday in 3rd District Court with conspiracy to commit rape of a child, a first-degree felony; conspiracy to commit sodomy on a child, a first-degree felony; two counts of enticing a minor over the internet, a second-degree felony; and patronizing a prostitute, a class B misdemeanor.

Lichtenstein allegedly responded to an ad placed on Craigslist by undercover agents from the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. He asked the agent, posing as a father, if he could meet his 12-year-old daughter for the purpose of having sex, according to the charges.

An undercover agent and Lichtenstein met at the Salt Lake Main Library to further discuss the proposal, the charges state.

"During their in-person meeting, the defendant stated he had used the LDS Church building previously for a sexual encounter," according to charging documents.

Lichtenstein also sent text messages to whom he was told was the young girl, charging documents state. The girl, who was an undercover agent, told him several times how young she was, the charges state.

On Tuesday, the day Lichtenstein and the girl were to meet at the church, multiple law enforcement agents set up around the church and at a nearby McDonald's to wait for him.

They spotted Lichtenstein walking out of the church and arrested him. During the subsequent interview with him, investigators learned that Lichtenstein "had used the LDS church and his own home as meeting grounds for prostitutes," and "had sex on the couch in the LDS church on two prior occasions, one of those times being earlier that day" with a woman that he gave $60 afterward "for gas," charging documents state.

Police discovered Lichtenstein used keys that had been issued to his parents to get into the church building.

Contacted Thursday, Lichtenstein's father said he did not know his son had been using the keys to get into the meetinghouse at 845 E. Garfield Ave. (1885 South), nor was he aware of his son's alleged activities.

Phil DeLaMare, who is bishop of the Richards Ward that meets in the building, confirmed that Lichtenstein's father had a set of his keys because of a calling he holds. DeLaMare said he was unaware of Lichtenstein's behavior. He declined to comment on the allegations.

Adam Watchman, who has known Lichtenstein since they went to school and attended Boy Scouts together, said Thursday he was shocked to hear about the charges.

"I love David because I’ve known him for so long, but I'm just disappointed and I’m sad," he said.

Watchman has been in the Richards Ward for about 10 years, he said. He and Lichtenstein served LDS Church missions at the same time.

"It upsets me that this happened right across the street from us," Watchman said.

Law enforcers have requested bail be set at $250,000, saying Lichtenstein poses a significant risk to the community.

Contributing: Nicole Vowell, Ben Lockhart

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