LEHI, Utah — Lehi police have arrested a 42-year-old man after allegedly using AI-generated photos during a discussion that ended with him allegedly enticing a minor.
Jeremy Robert Webster was arrested on Wednesday and faces a rape charge, sexual battery, three charges of enticing a minor, and 8 charges of distributing pornographic material.
According to court documents, on Monday, an undercover agent with the Utah Attorney General's Internet Crimes and Children division started a conversation with Webster on the platform "Hush."
The undercover created a post with the statement, "Ill [sic] never go to BYU way too controlling," to which Webster responded, saying that he graduated from there in 2009. The undercover then identified herself as a minor, telling Webster she was 17.
Webster allegedly responded, "And since 99% of people on here would never meet anyone in person, I'm not too scared of 17 if you're really 17."
At this point, the undercover officer asked the suspect if he wanted to trade pictures, which he agreed to, but stated that he had 3 daughters, with the oldest being just one year younger than the undercover officer.
Webster then sent the undercover an image of himself, and the undercover responded with an artificial intelligence-generated picture of a young woman. Webster expressed that the picture of the woman was "Freaking beautiful."
Investigators say the conversation continued with the undercover officer and Webster discussing religion and sexual attraction.
At one point, officers say that Webster told the undercover officer, "I would think undercover cops would be trying to get someone who is hitting on 13 year olds, not months [sic] from 18."
Through the conversation, detectives say Webster sent multiple images and videos of himself nude or engaging in sexual activity.
A time and place were arranged for the suspect to meet with the alleged teen, and police arrested Webster when he arrived for the meeting. Police say that when he was arrested, Webster had multiple condoms in his pocket.
Jeremy Robert Webster is being held without bail.
