Skip to content
Main Menu
Utah Attorney General
Search
Attorney General
Sean D. Reyes
Utah Office of the Attorney General
Secondary Navigation

Utah AG Announces Sentencing of Emilio Daniel Chavez

Sentenced to 2-30 years for Sexual Exploitation of a Minor

WEST JORDAN, Utah May 12, 2017 –   The Utah Attorney General’s Office announced that earlier this week 26-year-old Emilio Daniel Chavez, was sentenced to 2-30 years in the Utah State Prison. Chavez was sentenced by Judge William K. Kendall based on the Chavez’ conviction for four counts of Sexual Exploitation of a Minor (i.e. possessing, viewing, distributing images of child pornography) following a three-day jury trial.

“Like all those in my office who work on these disturbing cases, I am sickened by the crimes against children perpetrated by individuals like Mr. Chavez,” said Attorney General Sean Reyes. “I hope victims, whether from this case or others, feel some justice has occurred with his conviction but I understand that they can be dealing with the aftermath of their exploitation for a lifetime.

“My congratulations to Special Agent Bret Richmond, Investigator for the Utah Attorney General’s Office, Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC), Det. Jeff Wabel of the Utah County Sheriff’s Office, Det. Sgt. Ronald C. Bridge of the Summit County Sheriff’s Office, and Assistant Attorney General Cynthia Poulson and Assistant Attorney General Kent Burggraaf for their hard work in investigating and prosecuting this heinous crime. We cannot say enough about the importance of the fight against pedophiles who create, sell, trade and view child pornography.”

ICAC agent Det. Sgt. Ronald C. Bridge stated, “This is a gruesome crime that goes on behind closed doors, in front of a computer screen, ICAC will continue to work tirelessly to bring these kinds of perpetrators to justice.”

The investigation into the Chavez’s criminal activities began in December of 2012.  Then Special Agent, Bret Richmond, Investigator for the Utah Attorney General’s Office, Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC), began investigating Chavez’s Internet activities after a lead from ICAC affiliate Utah County Sheriff’s Office Det. Jeff Wabel, specifically focusing on video Chavez was suspected of sharing and distributing over the Internet.  

After several months of attempting to locate him, Chavez was interviewed in November 2013.  His laptop computer was seized for further forensic examination after ICAC agents located several images of child pornography.  Forensic examiner Matthew Anderson of the Intermountain West Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory conducted a full forensic examination and located 1384 images of suspected child pornography and child erotica.  ICAC Agent Det. Sgt. Ronald C. Bridge of the Summit County Sheriff’s Office submitted the images to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).  NCMEC’s Child Victim Identification Program located at least four known identified victims.  

Upon completion of the investigation and computer forensic examination, Assistant Attorney General Cynthia A. Poulson filed four counts of Sexual Exploitation of a Minor against Chavez.  The Attorney General’s Office obtained and filed a victim impact statement from one of the victims with the court.  

At sentencing, Judge Kendall stated, “the jury did not find your testimony credible and neither did I.”  Judge Kendall told Chavez the interests of justice were served by imposing a prison sentence.  

# # #