Former teacher aide accused of trying to meet teen for sex faces felony charges

A man who claimed he was a teacher was charged Thursday for allegedly sending sexually explicit messages to someone he believed was a 13-year-old girl. | Adobe Stock image LEHI, Utah (KSL.com) — A former teacher’s aide for special needs students in Utah is facing charges accusing him of trying to meet up with a teenager for sex in Utah County. John Royal Belliston, 40, of Magna, was charged Thursday in 4th District Court with enticing a minor, a second-degree felony; and two counts of distributing harmful materials to a minor, a third-degree felony. Belliston made a post on an undisclosed social media app stating, “Who wants to come play with a teacher?” according to a police booking affidavit. A Lehi police officer posing online as a 13-year-old girl responded. Belliston told the “girl” that “he is a teacher and wanted to play through any teacher fantasies she might have,” according to charging documents. He continued to send the undercover officer sexually explicit messages as well as two inappropriate pictures, according to the affidavit. “When the topic of John being a teacher came up and when he was asked if he had ever ‘done anything’ with his students before, John said, ‘I have not,’” though he admitted to committing lewd acts in the faculty room, the affidavit states. “I was able to get John’s employment history, which did in fact show he worked for two different school districts in Utah,” the arresting officer wrote. “It should be noted however that John is no longer employed at this time so he does not have direct access to children.” Police located Belliston Monday afternoon and arrested him.The post Former teacher aide accused of trying to meet teen for sex faces felony charges appeared first on East Idaho News.
Source: eastidahonews.com