ST. GEORGE — An Enterprise man was arrested for allegedly arranging to meet up with who he believed to be a 13-year-old boy.
But when he arrived at the prearranged meeting place, the man was arrested by task force agents and was booked into jail where he remains without bail.
The suspect, Ramon Joe Betony, 24, has been charged with first-degree felony rape of a child rape and enticing a minor for first-degree felony sexual activity, a second-degree felony charge, according to charging documents filed in 5th District Court.
The case stems from an undercover sting operation recently conducted in Washington County during which the suspect reportedly went online and began communicating with who he believed was a 13-year-old boy but was actually an undercover agent posing as a teen.
The operation conducted over the weekend involved agents with the State Child Exploitation Team, a program coordinated by the Utah Department of Public Safety.
During the sting, the suspect was initially communicating with the youth using a messaging application, and then later, the report states, the communication continued using text messages.
As the digital conversation continued, agents allege that Betony made arrangements to meet at a prearranged location in Washington County to engage in sexual acts with the child, the report states.
When undercover agents were advised that Betony had arrived at the prearranged meeting spot, he was taken into custody and transported to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office.
While speaking to investigators, the suspect reportedly admitted he was meeting with the child to engage in sexual acts, which agents allege was further supported by the condoms and lubricant found during a search of the suspect.
Officers also found text conversations indicating that Betony was aware that he was meeting up with a child.
Shortly after 1:30 a.m. on Sunday, the suspect was booked into Purgatory Correctional Facility initially facing two second-degree felony charges, including rape of a child and enticing a minor for first degree felony sexual activity. When the case was filed by the Washington County Attorney’s Office, the rape charge was enhanced to a first-degree felony charge.
Betony made an initial appearance in 5th District Court in St. George on Monday, which is when a preliminary-waive hearing was scheduled in the case that will take place on Wednesday. Until then, the suspect remains in custody without bail.
This report is based on statements from court records, police or other responders and may not contain the full scope of findings. Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact.
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