A former law enforcement officer, Philip Alan Rogers, 57, was apprehended on Friday in St. George after he was discovered in a restaurant in the company of a missing underage girl, raising concerns of potential sexual exploitation, authorities reported.
Officer Dan Montgomery of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office stated that he received notification from the Layton City Police Department regarding a missing and endangered teenage girl. The Layton City Police Department suspected that the missing girl was traveling in a Chevy Tahoe with a Utah license plate, and they believed Rogers, the vehicle’s owner, was accompanying her en route to Las Vegas.
Montgomery responded to the reported location near the restaurant on Interstate 15 at approximately 9:10 p.m. Security footage from inside the establishment confirmed the presence of Rogers and the girl together at a table, where Rogers appeared to be engaged in a phone conversation. Montgomery approached the pair and instructed them to step outside for further questioning.
During the encounter, Rogers disclosed to Montgomery that he was carrying a firearm in his front left pocket, which Montgomery proceeded to secure. However, Rogers declined to provide additional information and was subsequently placed in the back of a patrol vehicle.
Upon consulting with the case officer from the Layton City Police Department, Montgomery determined that there was probable cause to arrest Rogers for harboring a runaway. Furthermore, investigators suspected that Rogers intended to transport the teenager to Las Vegas for illicit sexual activities.
Following Rogers’ arrest, a search revealed the presence of a firearm, a wallet containing Rogers’ police badge, and a single unused condom in his possession. The specific law enforcement agency to which Rogers was affiliated was not disclosed in the arrest document.
Subsequently, Rogers’ Chevy Tahoe was impounded, and THC edibles were discovered inside the vehicle, along with several additional condoms.
Rogers was booked on charges of harboring a runaway, classified as a Class B misdemeanor; possession of a controlled substance (marijuana), also categorized as a Class B misdemeanor; and possession of a firearm by a restricted person, classified as a third-degree felony. The third charge stemmed from Rogers’ unlawful possession of THC, rendering him ineligible for firearm possession.
The Layton Police Department announced that they are continuing their investigation and may pursue additional charges in connection with the case.