Utah man charged for allegedly sexually abusing over a half-dozen young boys

POCATELLO — A man constabulary opportunity sexually abused astatine slightest 7 boys faces 8 felony charges.

Jason Earnest Stark, 38, of Utah, has been charged pinch 4 counts of soliciting a kid for intersexual abuse, 2 counts of lewd behaviour pinch a insignificant and 1 count apiece of attempted intersexual exploitation of a kid and allowing a kid to witnesser nan intersexual maltreatment of a child, tribunal records show.

Aug. 3, 2023

A man came into nan Pocatello Police Department to study having been nan unfortunate of intersexual battle successful 2016 aliases 2017, erstwhile he was 16 aliases 17 years old, according to an affidavit of probable cause.

The unfortunate told officers astir incidents that progressive a man, later identified arsenic Stark, and different antheral juvenile victims.

Officers said pinch 1 of nan victims, who said nan incident did hap but refused to talk it further.

During a 2nd speech pinch nan 2nd unfortunate and his mother, nan unfortunate said nan incident progressive Stark. The victim’s mother told officers that Stark had entree to boys during that play arsenic he employed respective successful his landscaping business.

After speaking pinch nan 2nd victim, officers called nan first unfortunate — who initially reported nan incident. He confirmed he was sexually assaulted by Stark.

The first unfortunate said Stark grew friends pinch nan boys, who yet began sneaking retired of their homes astatine nighttime to meet up pinch Stark. Eventually, he said, Stark started showing nan boys pornography — he believed it was “just to spot what we would do.” Then, nan unfortunate said, Stark began to petition intersexual favors, nan affidavit says.

Both victims recalled nan incidents taking spot chiefly successful an isolated area adjacent nan train tracks successful town.

Over time, nan 2nd unfortunate said, nan intersexual maltreatment began to return spot astatine Stark’s home, wherever he would speech items for illustration computers, meals and excursions for his performing intersexual favors connected them. The unfortunate said he ne'er realized what was going connected was wrong.

Asked if he knew of immoderate different victims of Stark’s intersexual abuse, nan 2nd unfortunate provided officers pinch aggregate names.

Aug. 22, 2023

Officers utilized a constabulary database to corroborate Stark’s identity. In doing so, they learned that he was a registered activity offender retired of Ogden, Utah.

Officers besides learned of different Bannock County accusation, that Stark was accused of soliciting nude photos from a 16-year-old boy successful speech for marijuana gummies successful 2020.

The pursuing day, a typical supplier from nan Department of Homeland Security contacted nan officers investigating Stark to pass them that nan DHS had an unfastened investigation into nan 2020 accusations. The DHS had not revenge immoderate criminal charges contempt serving a hunt warrant connected Stark’s Snapchat account, arsenic he had deleted each messages from nan account.

Aug. 24, 2023

Officers ran a complete criminal history connected Stark and learned that he was convicted connected 3 counts of second-degree sodomy and sentenced to 7 years successful situation successful Richmond, Kentucky.

Sept. 6, 2023

Officers said pinch a 3rd victim, who said he was sexually abused by Stark erstwhile he was a freshman successful precocious school, according to nan affidavit.

Like nan first 2 victims, nan 3rd unfortunate said Stark told him he was successful his early 20s. In truth, Stark was successful his precocious 20s to early 30s during these incidents. Also for illustration nan different victim, nan 3rd unfortunate said Stark would return him retired for meals past to a secluded area adjacent nan train tracks successful municipality to watch pornography.

Over time, nan unfortunate said, Stark began performing intersexual favors connected him.

The 3rd unfortunate provided officers pinch names of different imaginable victims.

While nan different victims could not place nan location adjacent nan railroad tracks wherever Stark took them to watch porn and execute intersexual favors, nan 3rd unfortunate showed officers a spot adjacent Hoffman Avenue wherever he said Stark took him.

The 3rd unfortunate said he believed he was sexually abused much than 100 times complete nan people of 2 years by Stark.

Sept. 7, 2023

One of nan victims — it is unclear if this was 1 of nan first 3 victims aliases different — came to nan constabulary section wherever officers listened successful connected a telephone speech betwixt nan unfortunate and Stark.

The 2 discussed galore individual things during their conversation, including nan victim’s plans to get joined and person children.

On much than 1 occasion, nan unfortunate asked Stark astir nan intersexual acts Stark performed connected him but each time, Stark interrupted.

Stark said of nan unfortunate claiming he was avoiding discussing what occurred, “I conscionable don’t person a bully answer, I guess.”

Following nan conversation, officers discussed pinch nan unfortunate nan sodomy convictions successful Kentucky. The unfortunate said, arsenic acold arsenic he knows, sodomy has to do pinch group performing activity acts pinch animals. The unfortunate past told officers astir a clip Stark put him successful position to person an animal execute a activity enactment connected nan victim.

Sept. 11, 2023

Officers were informed of yet different unfortunate pinch whom they had not yet spoken.

The caller unfortunate came into nan Pocatello Police Department, wherever he provided specifications akin to those of nan erstwhile victims. He said nan intersexual assaults began erstwhile he was a sophomore successful precocious school.

That unfortunate put officers successful interaction pinch yet another, who said pinch officers connected nan telephone and echoed galore of nan aforesaid accusations.

Over nan pursuing week, officers sewage successful interaction pinch astatine slightest 1 much unfortunate who said galore of nan aforesaid things occurred betwixt him and Stark — opening erstwhile he was successful precocious schoolhouse successful 2017 and 2018.

November 2023

Pocatello Police received a missive from Kentucky State Police containing accusation pertaining to Stark’s condemnation there.

According to that report, Kentucky constabulary received a study from a 10-year-old successful 2005 that a “Mormon Missionary” had “messed with” him by “touching his butt, backstage areas” and that nan boy witnessed nan missionary execute a activity enactment connected a 6-year-old.

The boy said that nan missionary tried to execute a activity enactment connected him but that nan boy pushed him away. When he did, nan boy said, nan missionary offered him $7 to fto him execute nan activity act.

After reviewing nan Kentucky documents, officers continued contacting imaginable Idaho victims. They said pinch respective more, each of whom provided akin specifications to those provided by erstwhile victims.

December 2023

Pocatello officers and nan DHS typical supplier examined items extracted from 1 of nan victim’s phones. They recovered respective messages betwixt nan unfortunate and Stark — including sexually inappropriate memes and discussions regarding nan 2 spending clip together.

January 2024

Officers searching for Stark said pinch a personification who informed them Stark had moved to Utah pinch his wife.

The affidavit does not item really officers recovered Stark, but charges were revenge connected April 15 and an extradition paper was signed connected April 17. An apprehension warrant was served connected May 6, and Stark has been booked into Bannock County Jail.

He is being held connected a $500,000 bond, pinch 7 no-contact orders barring him from immoderate interaction pinch nan known victims.

Though Stark has been charged pinch these crimes, it does not needfully mean he committed them. Everyone is presumed guiltless until they are proven guilty.

If he is recovered guilty, Stark would look up to life successful prison.

He has a preliminary proceeding earlier Magistrate Judge David Penrod connected June 3.