SALT LAKE CITY — A Utah man was arrested on suspicion of “sex tourism” shortly after returning from the Philippines, and police said they discovered files containing child pornography on his phone.
Perry Jay Hunter, 61, jailed Wednesday in the Salt Lake County Jail and charged Friday in Third District Court with six counts of molesting sexual exploitation, a first-degree felony; and 10 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, a second-degree felony. He was arrested through agents from U. S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Department of Homeland Security.
Officers said they began investigating Hunter after learning that he was possibly involved in the purchase and generation of child sexual abuse images.
“During the course of their investigation into Hunter, law enforcement discovered that Hunter was planning travel to the Philippines, which is a common destination for sex tourism. Sex tourism is when foreign nationals travel to nations such as the Philippines where child sex trafficking is more common in order to have sex with children. When Hunter returned to the United States from the Philippines, Hunter was stopped and questioned by law enforcement,” according to a police booking affidavit.
While questioning him, investigators searched Hunter’s electronic devices. He admitted “that he has child rape videos on his cellphone,” the affidavit alleges. “Hunter admitted that he had paid money for these images and videos to various people.
“A search of Hunter’s phone revealed significant evidence of Hunter’s sexual interest in the youth and his intent to sexually abuse them,” the affidavit adds.
Investigators say they discovered evidence on his phone that Hunter had made “significant efforts” to reach agreements to sexually abuse young men in the months leading up to his trip to the Philippines, according to the arrest report, adding that in August and September, Hunter paid several other people posing as Filipino nationals for pornographic photographs of his children.
“Authorities also found significant evidence that Hunter paid for live streams of (child pornography),” according to the affidavit.
In addition, “authorities discovered that Hunter is the registered agent of the Princess Festival. The Princess Festival is advertised as an occasion designed for girls ages four to 10, where young women have the opportunity to meet and play with princesses in an interactive environment,” investigators wrote in the affidavit.
On Wednesday, officials executed a search warrant at Hunter’s residence. “Hunter admitted to paying for (and) receiving (child sexual abuse material) produced through individuals in the Philippines for him,” the affidavit states.
Following his arrest, the charging documents state that “Homeland Security exposed a significant amount of other data showing Hunter’s sexual interest in youth and danger to the community.
“Homeland Security has discovered that Hunter has previously been investigated by many different agencies throughout the United States for his sexual interest in children” including using “chat rooms, internet applications, and other methods to (attempt) to meet children for the purpose of having sex going back to the year 2000,” charing documents continue. “Hunter is currently being investigated for criminal activity involving the sexual abuse of exploitation of children in California, Arizona, and Utah.”
Prosecutors have requested that Hunter remain in custody without the possibility of posting bail pending trial, noting that he “has been engaged in sexual behavior directed towards children for several decades. (He) has, by his own admission, paid for and directed the sexual abuse of children in other countries for his own sexual pleasure. (He) has travelled overseas for the express purpose of sexually abusing children,” according to the charges.
While he has not been charged, the charges also state that Hunter participated in a check fraud scheme and that a check for $65,000 was discovered at his home during the search.