Convicted Santa Clara child sex offender sentenced to federal prison

ST. GEORGE, Utah (ABC4) — A registered sex offender from Santa Clara, Utah, has been sentenced to federal prison after being caught by an undercover officer.

Payden Davis, 30, was sentenced to 180 months’ imprisonment (15 years) for coercion and enticement after he intended to meet with who he believed was an 11-year-old boy to sexually abuse him. Davis pleaded guilty to the charge in February 2025.

According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office (USAO) District of Utah, Davis was previously convicted of possessing child sexual abuse material in 2018. For this offense, he was placed on the child sex offender registry and federally supervised release for life.

Between November 6 and 7, 2023, documents state that Davis used a “portable gaming console” to communicate on social media. He exchanged messages with who he believed was a father but was actually an undercover agent.

The undercover agent told Davis he had an 11-year-old son, and Davis said that he wanted to meet and sexually abuse the child. According to the press release, Davis “repeatedly confirmed” that he was interested in sexually abusing the child and engaged in “sexually explicit communications.”

At this point, the undercover agent and Davis made plans to meet in person. The agent discovered that Davis was a registered sex offender, and on November 7, 2023, he met Davis at the pre-determined location and placed him under arrest. The devices used to communicate with the agent were found, along with “other evidence of his intent to sexually abuse an 11-year-old boy.”

District Court Judge Ann Marie McIff Allen sentenced Davis today. The case was investigated by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, St. George Resident Agency, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher Burton.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office noted that this case is part of a greater effort to investigate child exploitation cases, Project Safe Childhood. PSC is “a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice.”