Provo man charged with attempted child rape for messaging officer posing as minor

LEHI, Utah (ABC4) — A Provo man was arrested and charged after messaging an officer posing as a 13-year-old girl online. Documents say he made plans to meet with and sexually abuse who he believed to be a minor.

Patrick Cody Whitney, 28, is charged with enticing a minor, two counts of attempted sodomy on a child, attempted rape of a child, two counts of attempted object rape of a child, five counts of distributing material harmful to minors, and aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor for solicitation.

According to court documents, an officer with the Lehi City Police Department was undercover as a 13-year-old girl on a social media app. On Sept. 23, 2025, Whitney allegedly contacted the account and asked for a picture. The undercover officer told Whitney that they were 13, and he began making sexual comments.

The conversation moved to a private messaging app, where police say that Whitney began asking who he believed to be a 13-year-old more personal and sexual questions. Through the chat, the undercover officer stated that the girl lived in Lehi, and Whitney responded that he was from Provo.

Documents say that Whitney began making plans to meet with the 13-year-old in person, saying that he did not know any “discreet” locations in Lehi. Whitney told the minor (undercover officer) to purchase condoms and made plans to meet at a Frontrunner station in Provo. He allegedly suggested that they meet at a nearby parking garage that was “under construction.”

Ahead of the meeting, Whitney asked the officer posing a child for sexual photos and sent sexual photos of himself. He also allegedly sent pornography and photos of adult items that he wanted to bring to the meeting.

On Sept. 25, police were waiting at the Frontrunner station in Provo when Whitney arrived, documents say. He was arrested, and police found the adult items he had sent photos of on his person.

During a police interview, Whitney allegedly admitted that he told the 13-year-old that he wanted to have sex and that he knew it was illegal. According to the arrest statement, he told officers that he was attracted to teenagers.

Whitney was booked into the Utah County Jail, where he is being held without bail.