Salt Lake City Criminal Law Blog

Two men accused of offering Orem teens cash for sex

On behalf of Catherine Cleveland, P.C. posted in Sex Crimes on Friday, May 17, 2013.

Orem Police accuse two men of soliciting two teenage girls for sex. Police claim that two teenage sisters were walking along a street in Orem recently when a car pulled up beside them. The girls say that a man in the car gave the girls $5 and a piece of paper with a phone number written on it. The girls say that the man said if the girls wanted more money, they could give him a call.

The sisters, aged 14- and 16-years-old told their father about the encounter, according to Orem Police. Authorities say that the older sister pretended to be the younger sister in a call to the phone number on the paper. Authorities claim that the man on the phone offered $30 dollars for sex.

Utah juvenile soccer charges may go to adult court

On behalf of Catherine Cleveland, P.C. posted in Violent Crimes on Thursday, May 9, 2013.

Authorities have charged the Utah teen accused of punching a soccer referee with homicide by assault in juvenile court. However, prosecutors say that they intend to have the 17-year-old Salt Lake City teen certified as an adult. Homicide by assault is a third-degree felony charge under Utah law. The juvenile could face significant criminal consequences if tried in adult court on the alleged offense.

Officials say that the 46-yearold soccer referee issued the teenager a yellow card during a game April 27. Prosecutors say that the teen punched the referee in the jaw. The referee later fell into a coma for one week before he died at the hospital. Authorities say that the referee died from injuries sustained at the soccer match.

Juvenile charged over private list at Utah middle school

On behalf of Catherine Cleveland, P.C. posted in Criminal Defense on Thursday, May 2, 2013.

A Heber City, Utah teen who says that he was the victim of bullying is facing juvenile charges of harassment and threats for allegedly writing down his personal thoughts on a piece of paper. Law enforcement says that a middle-school teacher in Heber City, Utah grew concerned over alleged behavior of a 14-year-old student.

The teacher reportedly claims that the Rocky Mountain Middle School student seemed withdrawn and was playing with a piece of paper. The teenager was arrested last Wednesday after an encounter with the teacher at the middle school.

Heber City Police claim that the teacher talked the student into handing over the crumpled sheet of paper that he was allegedly passing back and forth between his hands at the school. The teacher claims that the paper contained a “hit list” of people that the bullying victim wished to harm. The juvenile is now facing allegations of harassment and making threats against life. The student was held in juvenile detention before a judge ordered the student on house arrest last Friday.

Former math teacher at Riverton High accused of sex crime

On behalf of Catherine Cleveland, P.C. posted in Sex Crimes on Thursday, April 25, 2013.

School officials at Riverton High School reportedly suspended a math teacher and assistant basketball coach roughly one month ago after the school claims to have received a complaint about "inappropriate conduct of the educator. The 22-year-old woman was placed on administrative leave. School officials reportedly referred the complaint to law enforcement for further investigation, according to Deseret News.

The woman was charged last week with two counts of felony sex crimes related to the investigation. The former teacher resigned Friday after the criminal charges were filed. Authorities accuse the former teacher of raping a 17-year-old female student. Details about the alleged rape have not been discussed in much detail in the media. Public reports indicate that law enforcement believes that the conduct leading to the criminal charges occurred at the former teacher's home.

Police arrest Salt Lake juvenile in year-old armed robbery case

On behalf of Catherine Cleveland, P.C. posted in Criminal Defense on Friday, April 19, 2013.

Police have arrested a juvenile on suspicion that the teen was involved in an armed robbery in Holladay, Utah last March. Authorities claim that two men walked into a jewelry store on Highland Drive March 13, 2012. Authorities say that the two wore ski masks to cover their faces. Investigators say that each of the suspects brandished guns and ordered everyone in the store to get on the ground.

Authorities arrested a 15-year-old April 8 in connection with the armed robbery allegations. The teen is not the first to face arrest in the case. Authorities claim that the two assailants in last year's armed robbery fled from the store in a black sedan. Authorities reportedly located that car outside a residence in Murray, Utah.

Former Perry, Utah cop pleads to bribery in friend's DUI case

On behalf of Catherine Cleveland, P.C. posted in Utah DUI on Friday, April 12, 2013.

A former Perry, Utah police officer has been sentenced in his plea deal on bribery charges that alleged the man had tried to sway a state trooper in a separate drunk driving case. Authorities say that the former cop bribed the trooper to miss a hearing associated with a DUI case involving a former Ogden, Utah police officer. The Ogden man reportedly was charged with DUI, but was seeking a job that required a commercial driver's license. Authorities accused the former Perry officer of seeking to assist the former Ogden officer in being able to attain the CDL.

Generally, a DUI charge may impact any driver's ability to drive. But, in the case of a CDL, the requirements are strict. CDLs are subject to federal regulations, and a first time DUI offense for a CDL holder includes a one-year CDL revocation. A second DUI leads to a lifetime revocation for CDL holders.

FBI called in to investigate West Valley City drug crime unit

On behalf of Catherine Cleveland, P.C. posted in Drug Charges on Thursday, April 4, 2013.

In December, West Valley City disbanded its drug unit. The unit was eliminated after a police scandal erupted surrounding a November police shooting where an unarmed woman was killed. But, in March, the Salt Lake County district attorney dropped 19 criminal cases for a lack of credible evidence to support the charges. The 19 cases involved allegations of drug crimes, and the cases reportedly all were West Valley City investigations.

Officials in West Valley say that the Federal Bureau of Investigation has been called in to investigate potential corruption in the now disbanded drug unit. More than one official issued a press release concerning calling in the FBI to look at civil rights and corruption issues. The West Valley Police chief says that the department has been in touch with the FBI, but wants independent eyes to investigate the issues. The Salt Lake County District Attorney also says that the FBI investigation is needed.

US Supreme Court says police need a warrant for a dog-sniff at a home

On behalf of Catherine Cleveland, P.C. posted in Drug Charges on Thursday, March 28, 2013.

The use of dogs to find evidence has been the subject of dispute in this country. Law enforcement agencies in Utah, like everywhere in the country, use dogs to sniff cars during routine traffic stops-apparently hoping to find evidence of drugs or other forms of contraband.

Criminal defense lawyers have challenged the use of trained drug-sniffing dogs in several different types of circumstances as a violation of the Fourth Amendment's warrant requirement and constitutional guarantees against unreasonable government intrusion.

This year, two drug cases involving the use of drug-sniffing dogs were reviewed in the United States Supreme Court. The high court ruled Tuesday in a 5-4 decision that use of a drug sniffing dog on the front porch of a home without a warrant supported by probable cause violates constitutional protections. In February, the high court unanimously upheld a dog-sniff of a pickup truck that led to evidence in a drug crime case.

Salt Lake Police accuse three females of aggravated robbery at motel

On behalf of Catherine Cleveland, P.C. posted in Violent Crimes on Friday, March 22, 2013.

Salt Lake Police say that three females were taken into custody after allegedly using a BB gun to rob a man at a Salt Lake City motel. Law enforcement claims that one of the women set up a meeting with the man at the motel over the Internet. Officials believe that after setting up the alleged rendezvous, the woman sent text messages to two friends, who are accused of heading to the room. Law enforcement has not disclosed what type of meeting was allegedly set up online.

Police say that the three females, two adult women and a teenager, robbed the 28-year-old man before fleeing from the motel. Authorities suggest that one of the women, a 22-year-old, pistol whipped the man with the BB gun. All three may face aggravated robbery charges on the allegations-the 17-year-old teenager was processed in the juvenile justice system.

Draper, Utah couple charged for allegedly putting razors into doughnuts

On behalf of Catherine Cleveland, P.C. posted in Violent Crimes on Thursday, March 14, 2013.

An investigation into razor blades found in doughnuts turned sour for a couple in Draper, Utah. Authorities say that the couple discovered shards of the blades in the pasties purchased at a Draper store. The business pulled the remaining doughnuts from its shelves, but authorities claim that things did not smell as sweet as the investigation unfolded.

Police claim that the couple ate the doughnuts, ingesting pieces of metal in the process. Authorities also claim that the couple shared the doughnuts with at least one co-worker. The co-worker reportedly bit into the treat, but felt a piece of metal in the pastry.

The co-worker did not swallow any metal, but the Draper couple who reportedly bought the pastries ingested some metal. Draper Police claim that X-rays show what authorities describe as fingernail or thumbnail size pieces of broken razor blades were actually swallowed by the two who had purchased the doughnuts.