Editor’s note (June 3, 2025): A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that Joshua Henry Quist faced 17 additional charges, bringing the total to 21. In fact, Quist was initially charged with four offenses on May 29, and 20 additional charges were filed on June 2, bringing the total to 24. This article has been updated to reflect the accurate number and breakdown of charges. We regret the error.
By Sachet A. Sullivan | The Zion Times
A man arrested three days ago in an undercover Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) sting now faces 20 additional charges, bringing the total to 24, after investigators examined evidence recovered from his phone.
Joshua Henry Quist, 28, was one of two individuals arrested during a four-day operation by the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, according to a press release from the Cedar City Police Department. The operation involved officers posing as minors on social media and chat apps to identify predators attempting to lure children for sexual activity.
According to court documents filed in 5th District Court, Quist was first arrested on May 29, 2025, after allegedly engaging in sexually explicit conversations with an undercover officer posing as a 12-year-old girl.
The initial affidavit states that Quist moved the conversation to text after acknowledging the girl’s stated age. During the conversation, Quist allegedly sent multiple nude photos of himself, solicited explicit images, and described sexual acts. He later reportedly confessed to the behavior with investigators and admitted to similar interactions with approximately ten other minors.
A search of Quist’s phone, conducted under warrant, uncovered additional evidence. Investigators say he allegedly communicated with a 13-year-old girl on the platforms Sessions and Discord, again sending nude photos and requesting images in return. He reportedly joked about the criminal implications, saying, “Otherwise, I could go to prison lol.”
Further review of the phone revealed Quist allegedly shared photos of an adult woman without her knowledge during online chats. Some of the messages reportedly referenced the woman’s age at the time the photos were taken. The court documents also allege Quist was conspiring with others to sexually assault the woman.
Quist now faces a total of 24 charges. He was initially charged with two second-degree felonies for criminal solicitation sexual exploitation of a minor and two third-degree felonies for distributing material harmful to a minor. On June 2, investigators filed 20 additional charges after reviewing his phone, including one first-degree felony count of conspiracy to commit rape; four second-degree felonies for sexual exploitation of a minor; three third-degree felonies for distributing material harmful to a minor; and 12 class A misdemeanors for distribution of intimate images. Police have requested that Quist remain in custody, citing him as a significant danger to the community, especially to minors.
Detective Stenson Bergstrom, commander of the ICAC Task Force, said ‘the goal of the operation was simple to protect children from those who seek to exploit them.” He added that the arrests “serve as a sobering reminder of the dangers that exist online.”
The Cedar City Police Department urged parents to talk regularly with their children about internet safety and to closely monitor their online activity. The investigation is ongoing, with additional potential suspects reportedly identified in other jurisdictions.
Against Children Stock Image. Image courtesy icactaskforce.org
The Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force is a nationwide network of law enforcement agencies dedicated to investigating and prosecuting individuals involved in online child exploitation. As of 2023, ICAC Task Forces conducted approximately 184,700 investigations, leading to over 10,800 arrests. The program includes 61 coordinated task forces and more than 5,400 affiliated agencies across the United States. Additionally, in fiscal year 2023, ICAC Task Forces provided nearly 3,050 regional law enforcement trainings on child exploitation, attended by approximately 72,300 law enforcement officers, prosecutors, and other professionals.
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.
Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. (n.d.). Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Program. U.S. Department of Justice. Retrieved June 3, 2025, from https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/programs/internet-crimes-against-children-task-force-program
Image Credit: https://www.icactaskforce.org/OCEPI
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