Ephraim man held without bail after child sex abuse allegations

Editor’s Note: This story has been modified from its original version to protect the identities of the victims.

MANTI—An Ephraim man was arrested Monday, Aug. 24, after authorities received an allegation that he had sexually abused a child multiple times when she was about 8 years old, according to a probable-cause affidavit filed in 6th District Court.

Jared Wayne Curtis, 43, was booked into the Sanpete County Jail. He is being held without bail pending a detention hearing scheduled for Sept. 9 at 9 a.m. before 6th District Judge Robert Van Dyke.

Curtis is expected to have an attorney by that hearing, at which time the court may address bail. He faces one count of sexual abuse of a child, a second-degree felony.

According to the documents alleging the crime, a forensic interview was conducted Aug. 19 with a 17-year-old girl at the Sanpete County Children’s Justice Center.

During the interview, the victim allegedly said that when she was about 8 years old, she was lying in bed when she woke up and found Curtis touching her underneath her underwear.

The victim reportedly told investigators that the conduct occurred multiple times, including an incident at a cabin in the Mt. Pleasant area. According to the affidavit, when asked to identify the perpetrator, she named Curtis.

The affidavit also references a separate forensic interview involving another minor female known to Curtis, who allegedly stated she had been sexually abused by him in another county.

Court documents also state Curtis was arrested approximately eight years ago for lewdness involving a minor, which the officer cited as evidence of an alleged pattern of conduct.