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In a disturbing incident early Monday, authorities in Utah apprehended a man on charges of kidnapping and sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl.
Reports from KSL reveal that a Taylorsville police officer stopped 31-year-old Derek James Jones around 2:30 a.m. due to his suspicious driving behavior, described as “evasive maneuvers” in the arrest affidavit.
Upon stopping Jones, officers discovered the young girl hidden underneath several blankets in the backseat of his vehicle.
“I encountered the female juvenile victim inside a white SUV, concealed under blankets,” the officer noted in the affidavit. “She expressed fear, stating she was lost and had been kidnapped. The juvenile was visibly frantic and emotional. Further investigation revealed she had been taken from her home without the consent of her legal guardian.”
The victim disclosed to the officer that Jones had touched her inappropriately and threatened to kill her if she reported the incident.
Police said it was possible Jones met the girl via social media.