CRIME, POLICE + COURTS
Sky View High coach in custody for allegedly sexting undercover cop posing as 13-year-old
Mar 31, 2022, 9:47 PM | Updated: 10:04 pm
An investigation began Tuesday night when emergency dispatchers received a 911 call stating that a man was "in the Bryce Canyon National Park women's facility in the shower stall recording females as they were showering. (Getty Images)
(Getty Images)
LOGAN, Utah — A Sky View High School soccer coach was booked into the Cache County Jail Wednesday after having an alleged inappropriate text conversation with someone who he thought was a 13-year-old girl.
Instead, the Sky View High coach, who has been identified as Alejandro Cruz, 48, was allegedly sexting an undercover police officer.
Court documents state that conversations between Cruz and the undercover officer began in December on a mobile app. Within minutes after the start of the first conversation, the probable cause statement reads “Jorge continued by saying he was ok talking with me and he wouldn’t tell anyone that I was young.”
Over the course of the next several months, Cruz allegedly sent inappropriate images of himself to the undercover officer. According to the probable cause statement, Cruz, on several occasions, asked that inappropriate images be sent to him.
On Feb. 8, according to the probable cause statement, Cruz asked to meet up. However, he never showed up. He said he had to help a friend move that night.
Later, police obtained a search warrant, which included gaining access to an email address that was registered to Cruz. According to the probable cause statement, through the search, authorities discovered Cruz was involved with several youth soccer teams, in addition to the high school team.
Police interviewed Cruz on Wednesday. He told authorities he felt guilty for being on the app because he didn’t want to cheat on his wife, according to the probable cause statement. He also denied exchanging inappropriate images with a minor, the probable cause further states.
However, as police read the chats between him and the undercover officer, he said “it rang a bell,” the probable cause statement read.
According to the probable cause statement, Cruz has been booked into jail for investigation of four courts of dealing harmful materials to a minor, a third-degree felony. He was also booked for investigation of three counts of enticing a minor by internet or text. Two of those counts are second-degree felonies, the other count is a third-degree felony.
The Cache County School District issued the following statement to KSL NewsRadio Thursday night.
“The district first learned of the allegations against Mr. Cruz after his arrest,” the statement read. “Allegations such as these are taken seriously, and Mr. Cruz has been placed on administrative leave pending investigations of charges against him. The district will cooperate fully with any law enforcement investigation. Currently, to the district’s knowledge, no students or anyone else associated with the school is involved.”
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