Utah judge accused of sending obscene images, videos in 'graphic...

A longtime judge from Utah, Kevin Robert Christensen, has been arrested for allegedly sending sexual images and videos to young girls via an online messaging platform. The 64-year-old jurist was apprehended by the FBI's Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, which uncovered a series of sexually explicit conversations with minors on his KIK account, according to the West Valley City Police Department.

Authorities reported that these troubling interactions date back to September 2022. Christensen is accused of not only engaging in graphic chats with individuals posing as young girls but also soliciting explicit images of minors from other adults, revealing a disturbing interest in children. The police report underscored the erosion of public trust in the justice system, given the judge's position in the community.

The investigation began on February 28, following reports of Christensen discussing child sexual abuse online. Investigators found numerous inappropriate chats, including one instance in which he allegedly engaged in explicit discussions with someone claiming to be a 13-year-old girl and sent her a video of an adult male performing a sexual act. He later dismissed the obscene exchanges as mere "fantasy."

Additionally, Christensen reportedly communicated with a user claiming to be a 16-year-old girl, exchanging lewd images. The affidavit from the investigation labeled him as a significant danger to the community, leading to charges that include two counts of enticing a minor and two counts of attempted sexual exploitation of a minor, among other felonies.

Following his arrest, Christensen was placed on administrative leave without pay. Appointed to the Box Elder County Justice Court in 1996, he previously practiced law and has been recognized for his contributions to legal education. He is currently being held without bail at the Davis County Jail.