Catching a predator: Utah governor's half-brother 'arrested for trying to have sex with a child after sending nude photos to an undercover cop posing as a 13-year-old girl'

  • Paul Peters, 56, was booked Tuesday into the Utah County Jail on suspicion of dealing in materials harmful to a minor
  • Police claimed he was trying to arrange a sexual encounter with what he thought was a 13-year-old girl, but turned out to be an undercover cop

By Dailymail.com Reporter

Published: 08:04 EST, 6 June 2016 | Updated: 08:47 EST, 6 June 2016

Paul Peters, 56, was arrested on suspicion of three counts of dealing in materials harmful to a minor, a third-degree felony, and enticing, soliciting, seducing or luring a minor by internet or text, a second-degree felony

Paul Peters, 56, was arrested on suspicion of three counts of dealing in materials harmful to a minor, a third-degree felony, and enticing, soliciting, seducing or luring a minor by internet or text, a second-degree felony

Utah governor’s half-brother 'tried to groom a 13-year-old into having sex with him, not knowing it was a cop.'

Paul Peters, 56, is the half-brother of Governor Gary Herbert.

Peters, from Draper, a town about 20 miles south of Salt Lake City, was arrested on suspicion of distributing harmful materials to a minor and soliciting a minor for sex over the internet.

After being arrested early last week, he is now being held on bail, according to police and the governor's spokesman.

Peters is also being investigated by the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

His arrest came after Peters allegedly connected with someone whom he thought was a 13-year-old girl online, but turned out to be an undercover police officer.

The chats quickly became sexual and Peters reportedly stated he wanted to have oral sex and intercourse with the teenage girl. He also reportedly sent nude pictures to her. 

He went the town of Provo for the sole intention of meeting up with her. 

According to the Daily Herald, in the chats, Peters reportedly claimed to have had sex with two other underage girls. 

Distancing: Utah Governor Gary Herbert noted in a statement that the governor and Peters were raised in different households

Distancing: Utah Governor Gary Herbert noted in a statement that the governor and Peters were raised in different households

He reportedly asked the investigator, posing as the teen, to hook him up with her mother so he could spend more time with the teen.

During a search of his phone, officers found pictures of juvenile girls and chat messages with another female where he said he had had sexual relations with an 8-year-old.

The governor has attempted to distance himself from any connection to the allegations.

'Regardless of who is being accused, the governor believes these are horrific allegations,' said Jon Cox, 

Herbert's spokesman, in a news release. Peters and Herbert were 'raised in different homes,' the release states.

Peters was booked into the Utah County Jail in the early hours of Wednesday morning and is being held on a $25,000 bail.

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