Convicted Kearns Sex Offender Charged With Human Trafficking
Aug 11, 2020, 5:19 PM
FILE
KEARNS, Utah – A 27-year-old man who previously pleaded guilty to child pornography charges has been charged with human trafficking after allegedly selling homemade child pornography, according to officials with the Utah Attorney General’s Office.
Officials said Craig Thomas Defa was sentenced to 364 days in the Salt Lake County Jail in January, placed on probation for 48 months and required to register as a sex offender.
“Following his conviction, the AG’s SECURE Strike Force received information that Defa may have been involved in the human trafficking of a minor,” officials said Tuesday. “The victim told the investigators that she had met Defa when she was 14 and he was 22.”
The victim told investigators the relationship became sexual after two weeks, and after six months, the relationship became violent.
The relationship ended in June 2019 when Defa was arrested for possession of child pornography.
“During the relationship, Defa allegedly made pornographic videos involving the victim and sold them through social media networks,” officials said. “Defa allegedly told the victim she would not need to work as she could sell the pornographic videos, despite the victim never receiving any money.”
Investigators said they reviewed images and videos taken by Defa on her phone and said they were taken before June 2019, when the victim was a minor.
Police also said Defa encouraged the victim to post advertisements to “recruit customers through online ads and sell pornographic images and videos of herself.”
Report human trafficking tips to the Utah Human Trafficking Tip Line at 801-200-3443. Report exploitation of a minor to the Internet Crimes Against Children Tip Line at 801-281-1211.
