10-07-2025
19-year-old exchanged sexual photos, met with minor in Garland, charges say
Charges are allegations only. All arrested persons are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
GARLAND, Utah () — A man from Cornish, Utah, is facing 14 felony charges after allegedly exchanging sexual photos and meeting up with an underage girl in Garland.
Eric Stephen Stuart, 19, has been charged with eight counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, a second-degree felony; six counts of distributing material harmful to a minor, a third-degree felony; and sexual abuse of a minor, a Class A misdemeanor.
According to documents, on July 4, just after midnight, the Tremonton-Garland Police Department was contacted by a mother who said that her 14-year-old daughter had left the house to meet up with someone named 'Eric.'
An officer was searching an area along Main Street and located a white Buick parked on the north side of Harris Market in Garland. The officer could see the 14-year-old girl sitting in the front middle seat with a man in the driver's seat. That man was later identified as Stuart.
Both Stuart and the 14-year-old victim were removed from the vehicle and separated, documents say. The officer asked Stuart about the situation, and Stuart allegedly explained that they were 'just hanging out' and 'talking in the dark' after getting dinner together. Stuart confirmed to police that he was aware of the 14-year-old's age.
'Obviously, she likes me, and I told her she was too young,' Stuart allegedly stated to police when asked why he was sitting with a 14-year-old alone in the dark.
The officer asked to search Stuart's phone, and when Stuart gave his consent, he went through the photo album and Snapchat in front of him. Nothing was found in the photo album, but the 'My Eyes Only' folder on Snapchat revealed several pieces of evidence.
Stuart gave the officer the password to the secret folder on Snapchat, and inside were multiple photos and videos of the 14-year-old that qualified as child sexual abuse material (CSAM). When asked directly, Stuart confirmed that the CSAM involved the 14-year-old.
The 14-year-old and her parents spoke with the officer, and the young victim confirmed that she and Stuart had been exchanging photos and videos. During a search of the 14-year-old's phone, graphic sexual photos and videos of Stuart were located.
Both Stuart and the 14-year-old victim allegedly told police that they did not have sex, but the two had kissed before, and Stuart had touched the underage child inappropriately while they were in his car that night.
Stuart was arrested and booked into the Box Elder County Jail, where he is currently being held without bail.
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