EAGLE MOUNTAIN, Utah — A man who worked as a counselor at a local high school has pleaded not guilty to accusations that he tried to entice a minor last year.
Chad Kennington Wilkes, 47, is charged with three misdemeanor counts of enticing a minor. He had a hearing on Monday, in which he pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Lehi Police said Wilkes, who lived in Eagle Mountain at the time, was chatting online with an undercover officer posing as a 17-year-old girl back in August. Police said he told "her" that he wanted to have sex with her and engage in other sexual activities, using graphic language.
Wilkes reportedly told the "girl" that he wanted to meet in person to verify that she was real.
However, according to court documents, Wilkes later told her that he "cannot risk getting in trouble being with someone so young" and ultimately deleted the messaging app.
Crime
Former Salt Lake City teacher sentenced to prison for sexual abuse of student
The arrest report said Wilkes' account on the app showed his phone number, which led them to identify him as the suspect.
When talking to police, Wilkes claimed that he didn't think he was messaging a real underage girl and that he thought it was only roleplay.
Police said Wilkes was a high school counselor at the time of his arrest, but it did not specify where. FOX 13 News has reached out to one district to confirm his former employment, but we will not be publishing the school(s) until it has been confirmed.
"Though Chad did not ultimately meet with the child in this case," the arresting officer wrote, "it is feared if given an opportunity, whether online or in his place of work being a high school, Chad would engage in illegal sexual activity with a minor."
