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PRICE — A father and son from Price have been charged as accomplices in a child rape case after police said they admitted to giving the accused rapist a place to have sex with a 13-year-old girl and did nothing to stop the crime.
Michael George Pulsifer, 56, is charged as an accomplice with rape of a child and sodomy on a child, both first-degree felonies. His son, 20-year-old Gary Michael Pulsifer, is also charged as an accomplice with rape of a child, a first-degree felony.
The investigation that led to the charges against both men began with a physical altercation between teenage girls in early March, according to Price police detective Ed Malmgren. Police found video of the fight and noticed that Michael Pulsifer and another man appeared to be encouraging the violence between the girls, Malmgren said.
The second man was identified as Ryan Christopher McCart, 20, a Richfield resident who had recently moved to Price and was living with Pulsifer. While trying to sort out why the girls were fighting, Malmgren said investigators learned that McCart was sexually involved with one of the teens.
"He had been grooming her (for sexual activity) for two years. She is 13 years old now," the detective said, noting that McCart used text messages, phone calls and Facebook to stay in contact with the girl.
He had been grooming her (for sexual activity) for two years. She is 13 years old now.
–Price police detective Ed Malmgren
McCart told officers he moved to Price "to be with the girl," Malmgren said. Michael Pulsifer, who knew the girl as well, provided his bedroom to McCart for the purpose of having sex with the teen, the detective said.
Pulsifer even walked into the room while McCart was having sex with the girl, investigators said, and then joked with McCart about it later on.
As for Gary Pulsifer, he took McCart and the girl to his house and asked if he could join them for sex, Malmgren said. He was rebuffed and left the room, but told investigators he knew McCart was having sex with the teen at his house and did nothing to stop it, according to the detective.
McCart is charged in 7th District Court with four counts of rape of a child and four counts of sodomy on a child, all first-degree felonies. His next court appearance is set for May 5.
During interviews with Price police, McCart acknowledged that he'd had sex with four other teens in the Richfield area before moving to Price, Malmgren said. That information was forwarded to authorities in Sevier County for investigation, the detective said.
McCart and the Pulsifers remain in the Carbon County Jail. Malmgren said officers suspect the men may have victimized other teens. Anyone with information is asked to call the Price Police Department at 435-636-3190.
