SALT LAKE CITY — A former Salt Lake City firefighter has pleaded guilty to one charge of sexual exploitation of a minor. Following the guilty plea, the state has dismissed the other 9 sexual exploitation of a minor charges with prejudice, meaning they can't be filed again.
Kelly J. Carter, 52, was arrested in February following an investigation.
Carter changed his plea to guilty on the one charge of sexual exploitation of a minor in May.
According to court documents, on January 22, 2026, a cryptocurrency company filed a report with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children regarding an account making a transaction associated with selling child sexual abuse material.
The account of the cryptocurrency holder was captured, and a report was then forwarded to the Utah Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
Investigators say they were able to confirm that the owner of the account was Kelly Carter.
On February 5, police say they contacted Carter at his home. According to detectives, Carter admitted to purchasing a subscription to a site with the intent to view child sexual abuse material.
Carter allegedly told police that he would view the materials while at work as a firefighter.
When investigators ran a scan of Carter's phone, though, they say they found at least one of the child sexual abuse materials dated back to 2020.
Investigators also claimed that Carter would often babysit children the same age as the victims in the materials.
Carter is scheduled to be sentenced on August 11 at 9:00 a.m.
