Multiple charges have been filed after authorities identified two men they believe could be linked to the disappearance of a missing 15-year-old girl in Utah.
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Texas City man, Florida man charged after being linked to missing Utah teen case
Multiple charges have been filed after authorities identified two men they believe could be linked to the disappearance of a
missing 15-year-old girl in Utah.
The first suspect was identified on May 10 as 37-year-old William Taylor Glines of Texas City. The second man has been identified as 35-year-old Matthew Nicholas Menard of Miami.
Both have been charged with aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor, enticement of a minor and criminal solicitation.
Glines faces an additional charge of attempted aggravated exploitation of a minor.
Investigators believe that both Menard and Glines were in communication with Alisa Petrov.
Police have identified two men who they say had contact with, and may be involved in the disappearance of a missing South Jordan teen, Alisa Petrov.
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2 men identified in connection to case of missing South Jordan teen
First suspect
Now, nearly a month after her disappearance, South Jordan police identified a Florida man,
Matthew Nicholas Menard, 35, who they say enticed her to go there, according to a search warrant, which requested full access to his phone.
Based on text conversations that were found between Menard and Petrov on social media, investigators were first able to glean some information about runaway plans.
“Matt and the victim also have extensive conversations where they plan on the juvenile running away from home to meet him in Las Vegas, NV,” the warrant states. “Matt tells the victim he will fly to Las Vegas for a business trip later in May, and she can lay low until he gets there. They then planned to fly to Los Angeles, CA together for several days, before ultimately going back to Miami, FL where Matt lives.”
The warrant states the two discussed “methods in which the victim can travel without being tracked and avoid detection.”
“They also discuss their future plans and how they can create a false scenario where Matt tells people she is his daughter,” it states.
Charging documents from Utah described in detail the sexual conversations that Menard and Petrov had before the teen’s disappearance.
In one of the conversations, Petrov confirmed to Menard that she was 15 years old and was a minor. Menard acknowledged Petrov’s age and kept chatting with her about sex.
Charing documents stated that Menard instructed Petrov to take inappropriate photos of her and send them to him.
Charges were filed against Menard on Friday in the 4th District Court, after investigators said they found evidence within the messages that Menard knew Petrov was underage.
Menard faces charges for aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor, enticement of a minor, and criminal solicitation. Prosecutors requested a no-bail arrest warrant, but have yet to locate him, or Petrov.
A second suspect
Authorities have said they are exhausting all leads, and one actually yielded an arrest. William Taylor Glines, 37, had contact with Petrov before her disappearance also, police say.
Glines faces similar charges to Menard: aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor, attempted aggravated sexual exploitation, sexual exploitation of a minor, enticement of a minor and criminal solicitation.
Utah charging documents stated that Glines had similar conversations with Petrov, including acknowledging her age, wishing to engage in sexual activities, and demanding inappropriate images of her.
Glines was arrested by
Texas authorities on May 8, but only recently have investigators linked him publicly to the case.
According to a police affidavit from Texas, Petrov used a stranger’s phone at a bus stop in Utah to send a message to Glines.
The affidavit stated that Petrov told Glines that “she was safe and that she was using a stranger’s phone to contact him and to not respond.”
Texas authorities were able to track the number that Petrov texted Glines, and eventually, they were able to arrest him.
South Jordan police said Tuesday it is still following other leads in hopes of locating Petrov.
“SOJO will continue efforts to locate Alisa and follow other leads. Alisa is attempting to meet individuals she met online using multiple social media platforms and chat applications,” police said. “She is listed as a runaway juvenile who is endangered.”