A 75-year-old Florida man faces multiple first-degree felony charges after the FBI arrested him in Salt Lake County for allegedly traveling to sexually abuse a child.
Wesley Ray England was taken into custody Friday, Sept. 25, at a pre-arranged meeting location, ABC4 first reported. Law enforcement had set up surveillance at the site after weeks of monitoring online communications between the suspect and a child under 14, according to court documents cited in the report.
England arrived in a rental vehicle and was arrested without incident.
He is charged with attempted rape of a child and attempted sodomy on a child, both first-degree felonies. He also faces a second-degree felony charge of enticing a minor. Under Utah law, a first-degree felony carries five years to life in prison and fines up to $10,000, according to the Utah Courts.
He is being held without bail.
Alleged admission to police
During a police interview after his arrest, England allegedly admitted to communicating with the child about sexual activities, traveling to Utah and arranging the meeting, court documents state.
Investigators also found a device on England that they confirmed had been used to discuss and plan the alleged abuse.
Members of the FBI's Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force (CEHTTF), based in Salt Lake City, had been tracking an individual who was communicating online with a child under 14 and allegedly describing sexual acts he wanted to perform, court documents state. The suspect chatted with the child for several weeks before learning the child lived in Utah and then arranged to travel from Florida, according to the documents.
England reportedly told the child he was staying at a local hotel after arriving in Salt Lake County.
No court date announced
All charges are allegations. England is presumed innocent unless proven guilty. No attorney for England was identified in available court records, and no arraignment date has been announced.
The CEHTTF has conducted multiple child exploitation investigations in Salt Lake County in 2026. Residents can report suspected child sexual abuse to local law enforcement or the Utah Department of Child and Family Services 24/7 hotline at 855-323-3237.
