This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
A former Tremonton police officer has pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of child pornography, a charge that could put him behind bars for a decade.
Under a plea agreement, charges of coercion and enticement and production of child pornography were dropped against Jeremy Rose. He is slated to be sentenced June 8 by U.S. District Judge Robert Shelby, who, in addition to a prison term, could impose a fine of up to $250,000.
In his plea, made Tuesday, Rose admitted to having more than 100 sexually explicit images of a then-16-year-old girl and inducing her to send them by representing that he was someone else. He said in a written statement that he possessed the images beginning "on a date unknown" and continuing through June 17, 2013.
Rose, 40, already was prosecuted in Utah state court on 15 charges connected to the same case. In charging documents filed in April 2014, state prosecutors alleged he created a fake pornography account and convinced the teen that she could make money by submitting nude photos to the website.
According to state court documents, the girl told investigators that she sent about 150 nude photos of herself to "Tom," who told her that the pictures would not be posted online but would be purchased in private by individuals.
The state charges initially were filed in 1st District Court in Box Elder County but the judge there recused himself, noting that he was acquainted with Rose. The case was transferred to 2nd District Court, where the former police officer pleaded guilty to seven counts and was sentenced in November 2014 to 270 days in jail, 36 months of probation and 60 hours of community service.
At the time, Tremonton police officials said Rose had not been employed by the department since July 2013.
In 2015, a federal grand jury indicted Rose in the case. Prosecutors in the U.S. Attorney's Office for Utah had received a waiver from the Department of Justice that allowed them to pursue federal charges against Rose.
U.S. Attorney for Utah John Huber said his office sought the waiver because the prior prosecution "left substantial federal interests unvindicated."
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