Former LDS bishop found with child sexual abuse material on phone after arrest during prostitution sting

PERRY CITY, Utah (ABC4) — A former bishop from Layton has been charged with allegedly attempting to meet with a prostitute and possessing explicit images of children.

Eric Hans Monson has been charged with three counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, a second-degree felony. In another case, he faces one count of patronizing a prostituted adult, a Class A misdemeanor, and having an open container of alcohol in a vehicle, a Class C misdemeanor.

On Aug. 14, according to court documents, Perry City Police were working on an undercover prostitution operation and posted an “ad” on social media, depicting an adult female offering sex work.

That same day, a user under the name “emons6” saw the ad and made contact, writing that he was 57 years old, from Kaysville, and wanted to meet up. He asked for discretion because of his marriage.

This user, later identified as Monson, agreed to meet with the woman and pay $220. When he arrived at the location, the undercover officer was unable to meet him, and Monson became upset, stating that the woman had “missed out on $500 cash.”

The undercover officer smoothed things over, and Monson began trying to arrange another meeting, discussing sexual acts he wanted to perform and offering payment. At one point, when asked about his favorite age of women, he allegedly responded 15 years old.

Days later, on Aug. 17, the officer arranged a new meeting with Monson at the Flying J. When he arrived, Monson sent a picture that showed his vehicle and the cash he brought.

Perry City Police officers took him into custody and found $200 in his pocket. His phone was seized as evidence, and officers questioned him about his statement that 15-year-old girls were his favorite.

Monson allegedly admitted to fantasizing about underage girls, but said he had never acted on those thoughts.

A search warrant served on Monson’s phone revealed that he had visited numerous “escort” and “hook-up” sites to make arrangements with other prostituted adults. While going through messages, police discovered a conversation on Kik involving child sexual abuse material.

A second search warrant was requested for the CSAM investigation, and documents say a total of 15 different sexually explicit images of children were located on Monson’s phone. Some of the files seemed as though they had been obtained through interactions with children.

Messages from his device allegedly referenced Monson stealing underwear from underage female relatives, and police expressed concern that he has access to children through babysitting at times and also in his local community.

“Having served as a bishop and being active in his church still, Eric [Monson] has access to areas with many children around,” the arrest statement reads, with police noting that up until recently, he was a bishop in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Monson was arrested twice. After the first arrest he was released and subject to an ankle monitor, but upon the discovery of CSAM, he was taken into custody again where he now awaits his upcoming court hearings.