West Valley Man Sentenced to 151 Months in Federal Prison After Pleading Guilty to Enticing Minor to Engage in Illegal Sexual Activity and Distribution of Child Pornography

            SALT LAKE CITY - Robert Samuel Stark, age 48, of West Valley City will serve a 151-month federal prison sentence for coercion and enticement of a minor for illegal sexual activity and distribution of child pornography.  U.S. District Judge Clark Waddoups imposed the sentence in federal court last week.

            As a part of a plea agreement reached with federal prosecutors, Stark admitted that in August 2013, he engaged in online communications with Victim A, a 15-year-old female.  During those communications, he requested and obtained sexually explicit images of Victim A.  He also admitted that he met with Victim A and engaged in sexual activity.

            Stark also admitted that in November 2013 and continuing into December 2013, he used the online social network Chathour to communicate with an undercover officer in Colorado who he believed to be a 14-year-old girl.  Stark admitted that he asked the undercover officer he believed to be a 14-year-old girl to send sexually explicit images to him. Stark sent sexually explicit images of Victim A to the undercover officer.

            The case started with an undercover investigation conducted by the Gilpin County Sheriff’s Office in Colorado.  The investigation led Colorado officers to Stark and a referral was made to the Unified Police Department.  The FBI also participated in the investigation. A UPD detective was able to identify the 15-year-old victim in the case.  Law enforcement officers arrested Stark at Sugarhouse Park on Dec. 13, 2013.  Stark came to the park expecting to meet Victim A and another 14-year-old girl for the purposes of engaging in illegal sexual activity.

            Stark must forfeit an iPhone, a laptop computer, and a DVD player and memory card.  Federal prosecutors sought forfeiture of the items that were used in the commission of the felony offenses.