Honk News (Salt Lake City, UT) – A veteran judge from Utah, known for his commitment to engaging with young people, has been accused of sending explicit images and videos to minors through an online messaging service, according to authorities.
Kevin Robert Christensen, 64, was arrested on Thursday following an investigation by the FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, which revealed numerous sexually explicit chat threads involving young children on his KIK account, as reported by the West Valley City Police Department and various news outlets.
Authorities reported that the inappropriate conversations involving the Box Elder County judge began in September.
He faces allegations of utilizing the platform to engage in conversations about his “vivid” and “detailed” interest in children with other adults, from whom he sought graphic images of minors, according to reports.
“The position of trust he holds in the community and the actions he undertook while in this position significantly undermine the confidence of the community in the legitimacy of the criminal justice system,” the police report read, according to Fox 13.
Officials initiated their inquiry into the judge on February 28 upon discovering that Christensen was utilizing the platform to discuss the sexual abuse of children, subsequently uncovering numerous inappropriate conversations with minors.
Authorities revealed that the judge reportedly participated in explicit sexual conversations with someone posing as a 13-year-old girl on November 2, according to ABC4.
During the conversation, Christensen shared a video featuring an adult male engaged in a sexual act with the minor, as reported by Fox 13, and subsequently claimed to the child that their inappropriate discussions were simply “fantasy.”
In September, Christensen reportedly engaged in communication with an individual who asserted they were a 16-year-old girl, sending a lewd image in exchange for one he received from the minor, according to ABC4.
“These actions show that the defendant is a clear danger to the community,” the affidavit states, Longview News-Journal reported.
He faces multiple serious charges, including two counts related to enticing a minor, two counts for attempted sexual exploitation of a minor, and two counts for distributing harmful materials to a minor, according to jail records.
In May 1996, Christensen took on the role at the Box Elder County Justice Court. Prior to his appointment to the bench, he was engaged in private practice, as stated in his biography.
A Gonzaga University School of Law alumnus, the judge received the Scott M. Matheson Award in 2006 for exceptional contributions to law-related education.
County officials have reportedly put the accused individual on unpaid administrative leave after his arrest.
Christensen remains in custody at Davis County Jail without the option for bail.