Utah child sex offender on the run arrested by Las Vegas Metro Police
Jul 20, 2023, 5:47 PM
SALT LAKE CITY – A convicted child sex offender from Utah who is charged with raping a minor while on parole and has been on the run for weeks is now in custody in Las Vegas.
The Las Vegas Metro Police Department arrested 36-year-old Christopher Law Thursday afternoon, according to Bountiful Police Assistant Chief Dave Edwards.
Law had two warrants out for his arrest, one issued by Utah’s Board of Pardons and Parole, the other by Utah’s Second District Court, where Law is facing a new charge of first-degree felony rape.
Charging documents indicate a 16-year-old girl reported Law had sexually assaulted her on June 24.
Those charging documents also state Law admitted to the crime when confronted by witnesses and said he “couldn’t help himself.”
Instigators believed initially that Law fled to Colorado after being confronted. Then, Bountiful Police said Law had been in the Sacramento, California area on June 12.
Thursday, Edwards told KSL that U.S. Marshalls based in Utah and California aided in the multi-state search for Law.
“They were critical in making this arrest,” Edwards said. “We thank them for their hard work.”
Davis County Attorney Troy Rawlings confirmed Thursday evening that his office will work to have Law extradited back to Utah to face his pending criminal charges. His office has already asked for Law to be held without bail through court filings in Utah.
“It is ‘very highly probable’ that the Defendant ‘would constitute a substantial danger to any other person or to the’ or ‘is likely to flee the jurisdiction of the court if released,’” prosecutors wrote in a motion for pretrial detention dated June 30.
Location unknown: KSL Investigates Utah’s missing sex offenders
Because of Law’s prior conviction of a grievous sexual offense, a second conviction on the most recent charges could carry a mandatory life sentence without another chance for parole.
The KSL Investigators are awaiting responses from several agencies as we work to answer critical questions about how and why a convicted child sex offender had access to a minor.
This report is part of a series examining how apparent gaps at every level of Utah’s criminal justice system fail to protect Utahns.
If you have experienced sexual violence, you can access help and resources by calling Utah’s 24-hour Sexual Violence Help Line at 1-801-736-4356 (English) or 1-801-924-0860 (Spanish). You can also call the Rape Recovery Center office line during office hours at 801-467-7282 or the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 for free, confidential counseling.
Have you experienced something you think just isn’t right? The KSL Investigators want to help. Submit your tip at investigates@ksl.com or 385-707-6153 so we can get working for you.
