On Wednesday morning, Samuel Teancum Mitchell from Herriman appeared in court to address two felony charges: enticing a minor and sexual exploitation of a minor.
On Wednesday, May 28, authorities in South Jordan revealed the apprehension of 41-year-old Mitchell from Herriman, Utah, alongside 35-year-old Matthew Menard from Miami, Florida. Charges have been brought against both individuals related to the case of 15-year-old runaway Alisa Petrov.
The hearing on Wednesday was brief, featuring a reading of the charges and scheduling a detention hearing for June 12 at 9 a.m.
Mitchell remains in custody at the Salt Lake County Jail without bail and is anticipated to request bail or release soon.
Authorities pinpointed Mitchell and his residence by cross-referencing the phone number he provided to Petrov with a law enforcement database.
Authorities in South Jordan discovered a concealed iPad in the bedroom of a 15-year-old, which revealed interactions with several adult men reaching out to the teenager.
Petrov’s iPad disclosed intimate exchanges with Mitchell on the Discord platform. Nevertheless, authorities did not uncover any illicit material in the communications, and the exchanges indicated that the two individuals had not met face-to-face.
Authorities arrived at Mitchell’s residence in Herriman on May 28. Mitchell revealed that he understood the reason for the police presence. Officials reported that Mitchell revealed he had connected with a girl online who was distressed about her parents and had begun self-harming. He mentioned that she reached out to him once more, stating that she was leaving and requested that he not get in touch with her.
Mitchell stated that he couldn’t recall the girl’s name, mentioning that she had used several aliases and hadn’t provided her actual name. He refuted any additional contact with her. He mentioned that the girl claimed to be 19, but in the pictures, she looked 18, “or maybe even younger.”
Authorities request access to Mitchell’s phone for investigation. He consented and subsequently revealed that he possessed an additional phone that he utilised during his time in the Navy. The phone number associated with that device corresponded to the number he had provided to Petrov via the Discord app.
Authorities secured a search warrant for the device and discovered text exchanges involving two different minors. Both individuals had shared explicit images and videos with Mitchell. One girl was believed to be twelve years old, while the other was verified by state documentation to be fifteen. The officer observed that the videos and photos seemed to be of a personal nature and were “sent from the actual female Mitchell (was) talking to.” Details regarding the two individuals affected, including their names, are being withheld because of their age.
Mitchell has been taken into custody at the Salt Lake County Metro Jail, facing five second-degree felony charges related to the sexual exploitation of a minor, along with an additional second-degree felony charge for enticing a minor.
On the evening of June 1, Petrov surrendered to authorities in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Authorities have not disclosed details regarding her journey to Colorado, her companions, or whether she experienced any form of coercion during her six-week absence. She has returned home to be with her family once again.
On May 10, authorities identified the initial suspect in the case as 37-year-old William Taylor Glines from Texas City, Texas.
Glines faces serious charges including aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor, enticement of a minor, criminal solicitation, and attempted aggravated exploitation of a minor.
