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Debbie Dujanovic ReportingInternet predators, our investigation exposed hundreds of Utah men trolling for children. Your response has been huge. Tonight we're getting results from Capitol Hill. Our investigative team discovered a twist, that's letting these guys walk.
For the predators it's a gamble. If they're caught by Federal officers, it's an automatic five years in prison. These guys got caught by local detectives, so does five years in prison still apply? Not even close.
It's practically midnight when detectives with the attorney general's office suit up to surprise another suspect. He was caught chatting online with an officer posing as a child. This guy made a 30-minute drive in the wee hours of the morning, but didn't land in the arms of a 15-year old girl.
Sometimes detectives get the same man twice. Scott Swift was arrested twice in eight-days for it. James Hilton spent 30 days in jail the first time, and was busted again this year. In fact, when it comes to doing time, a lot of them do very little.
Eyewitness News reviewed 30 recent Utah cases. More than half the men got less than a month in jail, or no jail time. We shared our analysis with detectives.
Chris Ahearn/Internet Crimes against Children Task Force: "I would like to see these people removed from an arena where they have access to children and the ability to victimize more people. I think prison fits that bill."
We discovered why they're getting a big break, here's the twist. Utah lawmakers invest hundreds of thousands of dollars to help police catch these guys, but current sentencing guidelines sometimes make it difficult for a judge to impose any prison sentence.
Michele Christiansen, Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice: "It is not something to take lightly, something to say, 'You know there's people out there that do this --slap them on the hand and go from there.'"
The Governor's Office is proposing something the predators probably won't like, enhancing the crime, stiffen the penalty. It would practically guarantee hard time.
"They wouldn't go to jail, they wouldn't get probation, they would go to prison -- they would go to prison."
Under the plan, a first time offender would face on to 15 years in prison instead of a few days in jail. Utah Legislator Paul Ray says our investigation shed light on a big problem with the system. Next week, he plans of filing legislation to fix it.
