Kearns man charged with alleged kidnapping and sexual assault of 16-year-old girl

KEARNS, Utah (ABC4) — A 58-year-old man has been charged after picking up a 16-year-old girl at a mall. He would meet up with her again and allegedly force her to do drugs and attempt to sexually assault her.

Henry Valdez, 58, has been charged with six felonies and four misdemeanors. He is facing one count each of aggravated kidnapping, attempted object rape, attempted forcible sodomy, endangerment of a child and two counts of forcible sexual abuse.

According to documents, on October 15, 2024, the Unified Police Department received a report that a woman had received messages from her 16-year-old daughter that she was being held against her will. The 16-year-old had shared videos of Valdez smoking and “being violent.”

A detective arrived at the Kearns residence and held Valdez at gunpoint until the 16-year-old was able to exit the residence safely. The victim told her mother that Valdez had taken sexual photos of her and tried to sexually assault her.

The 16-year-old victim told police that she was walking at a local mall when a vehicle started following her. Valdez, the driver, stopped her and offered her a ride. They exchanged phone numbers, and he dropped her off at home.

The following day, Valdez called the 16-year-old multiple times, telling her “food stamps just hit” and asking if she wanted to come over and eat with him. She agreed, and Valdez picked her up and brought her back to his residence.

According to documents, the victim told police that when they arrived, he gave her a shot of vodka and “aggressively told her to drink it.” Valdez then retrieved a black pencil pouch containing marijuana and asked if she smoked. Following this, he locked the bedroom door and offered the 16-year-old methamphetamine.

Valdez allegedly told the victim to “smoke it” and responded with aggression when she tried to refuse. The 16-year-old “took a hit out of fear” and began texting people to come help her. While she was waiting for help, Valdez began making inappropriate sexual advances on the victim and took inappropriate photos of her, according to documents.

At this point, the Unified Police detective arrived and safely removed the 16-year-old from the home.

In a police interview with Valdez, he told officers that he had met the victim at the mall and they exchanged phone numbers when he took her home. He claimed that she reached out to him for a ride, and he had taken her back to his residence, where they both drank and smoked. Valdez admitted that he kissed the victim and touched her over her clothing.

Valdez was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail just after midnight on October 16, 2024, but was later released. He was charged in Salt Lake County today, and a warrant has been issued for his arrest.