- Minnesota resident Bu Taw, 61, is charged with abusing two teen girls at religious event in Murray.
- Taw faces aggravated kidnapping, human trafficking, and multiple sexual abuse charges.
- Prosecutors deem Taw a flight risk; request no bail pending trial.
MURRAY — A 61-year-old Minnesota man in Utah for a religious event is now facing several charges for allegedly sexually abusing two teen girls over the weekend.
Bu Taw, of St. Paul, Minnesota, was charged Wednesday in 3rd District Court with aggravated kidnapping and human trafficking of a child, first-degree felonies; five counts of forcible sexual abuse, a second-degree felony; and witness tampering, a third-degree felony.
The investigation began Saturday when Murray police were called to a church at 460 W. Century Drive on a report that two girls, ages 14 and 16, had been sexually abused.
"(Taw), in this matter, used a religious setting to prey upon the victims. (He) lured one of the victims, under the guise to retrieve medicine, to his car where he told the victim to get into the car and sexually assaulted her. The victim reported feeling scared and unable to get away. (Taw) then offered her $100 to not tell anyone. The victim told her friend, who reported (Taw) also touched her buttocks, while taking a group photo," according to charging documents.
The 16-year-old told police "that she was at a church event and was tasked to help with chores and was helping a male, later identified as defendant Bu Taw, by trying on clothing that he was selling," according to charging documents. "(She) described Taw as being overly friendly toward her and was complimentary of her."
At one point, Taw asked her to go to his vehicle with him to retrieve some medicine.
"She didn't feel like she had a choice because she 'didn't want to be mean' but didn't know (that) 'he was going to get in too.' She said that she felt confused when the vehicle was empty," the charges state.
Inside the van, Taw allegedly touched the girl inappropriately and continued to ask for kisses. When he was done, "Taw then gave her a $100 bill and told her that 'he was bribing (her) to not tell anyone.' (She) said when she opened the car door to get out, he told her to get back in the car. But (she) said she 'knew it was gonna get worse' if she stayed, so she told him she had to use the bathroom and walked back to the church," according to the charges.
In the church, the teen told her 14-year-old friend what had happened, and the friend "said she was also assaulted by Bu Taw," according to police.
The second teen said "a group of girls (were) taking pictures with Bu Taw in the traditional clothing they were trying on" and Taw inappropriately touched her, the affidavit states.
Murray police detectives reviewing surveillance video at the church "observed Taw touch the buttocks of an unidentified female, wearing a white dress. The female appears to react visibly to the unexpected touching," the charges state.
In requesting that Taw be held in the Salt Lake County Jail without the possibility of posting bail pending trial, prosecutors note in their charges that Taw "is from Minnesota and was only in the state of Utah for this religious conference. He has no ties here and should be considered a flight risk should he be released from custody."
