By Tracie Sullivan, For Iron County Today
A 29-year-old Cedar City man was arrested Friday after police say a thumb drive discovered at a local residential treatment facility contained illicit images involving children.
James Reno Heninger, a client at Chrysalis, was taken into custody July 18 and booked into the Iron County Jail. Heninger was charged with five counts of aggravated sexual exploitation of a child, all second-degree felonies.
Heninger was reportedly receiving services at Chrysaslis related to prior issues involving inappropriate sexual interest in minors, according to charging documents.
The arrest followed a search of his personal electronics after staff at the facility discovered a thumb drive on the floor of his room and turned it over to authorities.
According to the charging documents filed in 5th District Court, Cedar City Police initially responded to Chrysalis on July 15 after receiving a report that Heninger had been “reading child porn online,” which, as the affidavit notes, “is not a violation of Utah Code.”
Under Utah law, possession or viewing of visual depictions involving minors in sexual situations is a felony, but written or text-only material — however disturbing — may not qualify as illegal unless it meets specific obscenity criteria. Officers left the scene after determining no crime had occurred at that time.
However, after police left, staff conducted a room search in accordance with the facility’s policy and found a thumb drive. When staff reviewed the contents, they “found porn,” and notified officers it may contain child pornography material. The thumb drive was submitted to the police by a Chrysalis manager.
Detectives obtained a search warrant for the thumb drive and Heninger’s other electronic devices. After locating Heninger at his workplace at Costa Vida, officers placed him under arrest and transported him to the Cedar City Police Department for questioning.
During an interview with a detective — which was recorded and observed by another officer — Heninger was read his Miranda rights and agreed to speak. According to the affidavit, he acknowledged ownership of the thumb drive and gave officers permission to search it.
“James admitted to viewing the content that was contained on the thumb drive,” the officer wrote. “He stated he was OK if it was searched.”
Officers allegedly found several inappropriate images of children on the device. Heninger also reportedly told detectives he had modified the video game The Sims to make characters appear nude, according to the affidavit.
In addition, Heninger allegedly said he liked child porn because he was “pansexual.”
He was booked on five counts of aggravated sexual exploitation of a child, each a second-degree felony. Police requested Heninger be held without bail, citing the seriousness of the charges and a risk to the community.
“There is substantial evidence to support the charge,” the officer wrote. “From the evidence in this case, I believe that James Heninger is a child sex predator and a danger to the community.”