Mitchell McKee, 59, of Heber, faces 10 felony charges for human trafficking of a child, forcible sexual abuse, forcible sodomy, sexual exploitation of a minor, enticement of a minor and dealing in material harmful to a minor.
At a preliminary hearing Tuesday, April 29, Judge Shawn Howell said prosecutors presented enough evidence to warrant a trial.
State prosecutor Ian Ross called witnesses who described finding evidence that McKee allegedly solicited a teenage boy for sex knowing he was underage.
The former Wasatch County Sheriff’s Office employee also worked as a sex therapist in Provo at the time of his arrest in March 2024.
The investigation came after officers met the boy during a traffic stop in January 2024. He later disclosed he had been meeting McKee for sex.
An Internet Crimes Against Children taskforce agent said Tuesday law enforcement found conversations between McKee and the alleged victim on video game chatrooms, social media and apps commonly used for hookups.
Ross said the underage teen agreed to meet with McKee in exchange for alcohol and vapes.
“The actor, who is more than three years older than the victim, entices or coerces the victim to submit or participate,” he said. “[The victim] talks about how he would not have done this but for promises of alcoholic beverages and a vape. So, we do believe that within the letter of the law, he did not consent.”
However, defense attorney Bradley Henderson argued the alleged victim didn’t give a “hard no” to McKee and that the incidents didn’t amount to coercion.
The judge also read a written statement from the alleged victim. Ross said the boy told McKee how old he was and McKee “said that he was fine with it.”
Howell said she found probable cause for all 10 charges.
“I find that the state has met its minimum burden as to each of the counts in the information, and I will bind those over for charges for trial,” she said.
McKee will enter a plea at his arraignment May 28.
