A 25-year-old Murray man is facing criminal charges after police say he messaged a 14-year-old runaway on social media and later met her in person, according to a August 7 report.
Sayed Eqbal Omran was arrested after officers responded to a report of a found child at 47 West and Fireclay Avenue in Murray. Investigators say the teen had identified Omran's Instagram account and communicated with him through both iMessage and social media before they met.
The investigation began on June 22 after the girl, who had reportedly run away from her South Salt Lake home, was found in Murray, according to FOX 13 News Utah. The outlet reports the girl told Omran she was 14 years old.
Court documents cited by the station state that Omran obtained the victim's phone number and followed her around a park before arriving in a black sedan. He is accused of driving her to a nearby parking lot, where he allegedly kissed her and touched her over her clothes. Murray police seized Omran's phone to review messages between him and the teen to establish a timeline of contact.
Omran faces charges including sexual abuse of a minor, unlawful adolescent sexual activity, and unlawful kissing of a minor. Under Utah Code, sexual abuse of a minor is a class A misdemeanor when the offender is four or more years older than a 14- or 15-year-old and touches private areas, including through clothing.
Because Omran is 11 years older than the victim, he faces potential felony exposure. Engaging in unlawful sexual activity with a 14-year-old when the actor is 21 or older is a third-degree felony, which is punishable by up to five years in state prison. Additionally, Utah law makes it a felony to use electronic communications to lure a minor into illegal sexual conduct.
The case highlights the risks faced by runaway youth in Salt Lake County. An August report from Salt Lake County found that youth under 18 make up roughly 22% of the unhoused population in the area.
Salt Lake County Youth Services operates a 24/7 crisis intervention center and emergency shelter at 177 West Price Avenue in South Salt Lake to provide assistance to runaway teens aged 12 to 17.
