Utah County deputies arrest registered sex offender connected to Lehi farmers market

LEHI, Utah — Deputies arrested a registered sex offender they said was helping operate a farmers market where a number of his duties put him in direct contact with children.

Larry Neff Jarvis, 74, was arrested last week on suspicion of felony failure to update his sex offender registry address as well as a misdemeanor sex offender violation in a protected area.

Sgt. Spencer Cannon with the Utah County Sheriff’s Office said deputies were called in last Monday to investigate alleged zoning violations at the Lehi Farmers Market, 7431 N. 8000 West, and during the investigation learned of Jarvis’ involvement in the operation and that he was out of compliance with the Utah sex offender registry.

“He had moved at least several months ago to that location, maybe longer than that, and had not updated his current address,” Cannon told KSL TV.

Cannon said registered sex offenders are supposed to update any change of address within three days.

Deputies also said the market’s social media posts showed Jarvis dressed up as the “Sesame Street” character Elmo.

“There are pictures on their social media accounts showing him holding young children,” Cannon said. “Because of his status on the sex offender registry, he can’t even be in the presence of children without meeting certain criteria, which he has not done.”

Cannon said that included written permission from the children’s parents.

According to investigators, Jarvis’ status as a registered sex offender stemmed from a case in Arizona nearly 30 years ago.

“If I had done a background check on him, would I have changed things — I don’t know,” said Dorothy Durrant, who has lived on the property since 2004 and organized the farmers market as a way to help the surrounding community during the pandemic. “I don’t know the details of his past. I don’t. That might make me really dumb that I didn’t do a background check on him.”

Durrant said she believed the scrutiny was happening now because of neighbor complaints about the market.

“He brings a lot of magic to a lot of lives here — he does,” Durrant said. “We were just raised that way — to be non-judgmental and to want to help.”

An additional Facebook post Monday night, which was later deleted and replaced, said that the Lehi Farmers Market didn’t have anything to hide.

Jarvis declined to do an interview with KSL TV Monday evening.

“We don’t have any evidence to suggest that he has committed any sexual offenses against any of these children,” Cannon said.

Cannon said the rules for remaining compliant under the Utah sex offender registry are made clear to those on it.

“He clearly didn’t think it was important enough that he had to make the change the way he was supposed to,” Cannon said. “If they keep operating this farmers market and he continues to participate as he has, he’s going to run into more trouble with us.”

Anyone with information or concerns can call the UCSO Investigations Office at 801-851-4010.