SUSPECT faces multiple charges including enticing a minor for sexual activity
By: Sachet A. Sullivan
An undercover operation conducted in Illinois resulted in the arrest of a Cedar City man who allegedly requested sexual images from an undercover detective, who he believed to be a 14-year-old girl.
Darin Michael Mangum, 27, was booked into the Iron County jail on Tuesday afternoon on two-third degree felonies for dealing harmful material to a minor as well as one class A misdemeanor for enticing a minor for sexual activity.
According to court records filed in 5th District Court, on February 10th, an investigator at the Cedar City Police Department (CCPD) was contacted by a detective working for the Dekalb County Sheriff’s Department in Illinois. The Detective stated she was working on an undercover internet crimes against children (ICAC) case and began chatting with a man named Darin in January. During the conversations, which reportedly began on SnapChat, the detective pretended to be a 14-year-old girl.
The detective said the two exchanged personal phone numbers via Snapchat and then continued their communication through text. During the investigation, the detective learned that the man lived in Cedar City.
The detective told investigators that during the text exchange, Mangum allegedly requested explicit photographs, made inappropriate comments about what he wanted to do to her, and sent two explicit photos of himself.
At one point, Mangum reportedly made a remark referencing the detective’s age, saying, “I had a job at 14,” according to the affidavit.
Photos of Mangum’s face were also reportedly included in the text exchanges between the detective and the suspect, which were later used to confirm his identity.
After the conversation with the detective, investigators with CCPD conducted a search on the phone number and confirmed it was linked to the suspect.
A warrant was then executed for the IP address, which was also confirmed to belong to the suspect.
Mangum was located and transported to the Cedar City Police Department, where he was read his Miranda rights and agreed to speak with investigators. During the interview, he reportedly admitted to sending and requesting the explicit photographs and acknowledged that he had been in communication with the detective up until that morning.
INDIVIDUALS LISTED ON THIS PAGE HAVE BEEN BOOKED INTO IRON COUNTY JAIL AND ARE ACCUSED OF THE FOLLOWING CRIMES BUT ARE PRESUMED INNOCENT UNTIL AND UNLESS PROVEN GUILTY IN A COURT OF LAW.
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