Charges filed against Utah man accused of sexually abusing children

Charges filed against Utah man accused of sexually abusing children

(Tooele County Sheriff's Office)


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GRANTSVILLE — Thirteen felony charges were filed Monday against a Grantsville man accused of sexually abusing at least three children over the past four years.

Mark Swan, 48, faces four counts of sodomy against a child, a first degree felony; four counts of object rape of a child, a first-degree felony; two counts of aggravated kidnapping, a first-degree felony; and three counts of attempted sexual abuse of a child, a third degree felony.

Police began investigating Swan after a parent came forward on Thursday and said a family acquaintance had inappropriately touched their three children, according to a police probable cause statement for his arrest.

According to the report, two girls, ages 7 and 11, told police Swan had inappropriately touched or exposed himself to them on several different occasions at his home. During one of the incidents, the 7-year-old said Swan put his hand on the door and wouldn't let her leave the room.

A 13-year-old boy also told police Swan had been sexually assaulting him for more than four years, according to the report. The boy told police Swan made videos of their sexual encounters.

A search of Swan's house turned up several items similar to items the 13-year-old boy had described as being used in the abuse, according to the probable cause statement.

After the three children initially reported the abuse, another child also came forward and said Swan had touched him inappropriately, police wrote. They were investigating that claim as well.

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In the hours after KUTV News first aired a story about Swan's arrest early Friday evening, the parents of several more potential victims also contacted police, Grantsville police detective Cody Painter told KSL on Friday night.

Those children are not mentioned in the probable cause statement, and it is unclear whether any of the charges filed Monday stem from allegations made by any children other than the three siblings who initially reported the abuse.

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