Sex offender arrested for attempting to meet child in Lehi, documents say

LEHI, Utah (ABC4) — A Centerville man who is on the sex offender registry has been arrested for attempting to meet with a child in Lehi to engage in sexual activity.

Luke Winston Rogers, 39, has been charged with attempted rape of a child, attempted sodomy on a child, attempted aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor, enticement of a minor, three counts of dealing in material harmful to a minor, and failure to stop at command of police.

According to information filed by the Lehi Police Department, Rogers was using a “popular social media app” to chat with a user who identified herself as a 13-year-old girl to him. The child was an undercover Lehi officer.

Police provided multiple messages where Rogers spoke about engaging sexually with the 13-year-old. He shared sexual images of himself and others in the conversations. In one message from the child, she clarified that she was 13 years old, asking if he understood that. Rogers said that he did understand that.

Rogers allegedly also shared regular photos of his face. Police were able to use these photos to learn his identity and criminal history. He had previously been arrested for enticement of a minor and sexual exploitation of a minor in 2023, and was a non-compliant sex offender.

During the chats, the 13-year-old and Rogers made plans to meet up in Lehi. On May 9, 2025, Rogers was en route to the meeting location when he began talking about his fears that he would get into a “shootout.”

“I brought a gun just in case. I’m not going to be taken alive if I judged this wrong,” Rogers allegedly wrote in messages to the 13-year-old.

A Lehi police officer located Rogers as he traveled to the meeting location and pulled him over. According to police, Rogers initially complied with police but then began running away from the officers.

As he was running away, an officer saw Rogers reach for his waistband at the small of his back, but he ended up tripping. After apprehending him, officers searched his person but did not locate a firearm or any other weapon. He did have erectile dysfunction medication and headphones that were seen in photos he’d shared during chats.

Rogers was booked into the Utah County Jail and is currently being held without bail.