Payden Davis, a twice-convicted sex offender from Santa Clara, Utah, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison and a lifetime of supervised release. This follows his intention to meet an 11-year-old boy for sexual abuse after engaging with the child through a social media platform.
Davis violated federal supervised release from a previous conviction in 2018 for possession of child pornography. The sentence was delivered by U.S. District Court Judge Ann Marie McIff Allen after Davis pleaded guilty on February 6, 2025.
Court documents reveal that between November 6 and November 7, 2023, Davis used a portable gaming console to communicate via social media with an undercover agent who posed as the father of an 11-year-old boy. During these exchanges, Davis expressed his desire to sexually abuse the child, stating "I think it would be fun if he is into it," among other explicit communications. He arranged to meet the undercover agent at a specific location and was arrested upon arrival without incident. His social media account confirmed his presence at the arrest site. At the time of arrest, he possessed various items including a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 cellphone and an AYANEO handheld gaming computer.
The announcement was made by Acting U.S. Attorney Felice John Viti of the District of Utah. The investigation was conducted by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office and St. George Resident Agency, while Assistant United States Attorney Christopher Burton prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse through collaboration among federal, state, and local resources.
For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit Justice.gov/PSC.
