SALT LAKE COUNTY — A Salt Lake City firefighter is facing 10 charges of sexual exploitation of a minor after police say he was found with child sexual abuse material on his phone.
Kelly J. Carter, 51, was arrested on Friday and is being held without bail.
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 added, police say, 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.
Carter was arrested on Friday. Because he had possession of child sexual abuse material dating back several years, and he often babysits a child of the age of the victim in the materials, he is being held without bail.
A spokesperson with the Salt Lake City Fire Department confirmed Carter's employment with the department on Monday, saying that he worked there from 2000 until his retirement in 2025.
The department stated, "While the investigation proceeds, the department will cooperate with any law enforcement requests. We are committed to maintaining public trust and upholding the values of accountability and transparency."
