Kevin G Sykes

Summary

UPDATE: Kevin G. Sykes was sentenced 11-20-2023 to prison in Utah for 15 years to life for sex crimes involving children. In one of 3 cases where Sykes was sentenced, the sentence called for 3 years to life in prison.

From an affidavit from the Utah County Sheriff’s Office in 2022:

“On or between May 1, 1995, and September 1, 1996, Defendant convinced his 9-10 year old [victim] to accompany him to the basement of Defendant’s Pleasant Grove residence. While in the basement, Defendant sat next to the victim on a bed, placed his hand on the victim’s penis (over the clothes), and asked the victim, “what do you think about that?” Startled, the victim got up immediately and ran outside. Defendant’s intent at the time he touched the [victim] was to sexually gratify either himself or the victim.”

—

Sykes was arrested on 2022-04-18.

There are three state felony cases in Utah involving Kevin G. Sykes:

231400492 2023-02-09
221400805 2022-04-22
221400699 2022-04-11

—

Thanks to your donations, FLOODLIT has obtained court documents in Sykes’s case.

A police probable cause affidavit in Sykes’s case reads in part:

“On April 13, 2022, I was employed by the Utah County Sheriff’s Office as a detective assigned to the Special Victims Unit. I previously received a report of sexual abuse of a minor and an interview of the minor victim, [V1], was set up at the Children’s Justice Center in West Jordan, Utah.

During the course of the interview [V1] disclosed Kevin took him up Provo Canyon and pulled over to the side of the road, pulled his pants down and played with his penis skin to skin. Kevin asked [V1] why he wasn’t getting hard and [V1] said he did not know. [V1] said this happened in the summer of 2020. [V1] later said that during this incident Kevin asked to “suck on his dick” and to put his penis in [V1]’s butt. [V1] said no and wanted to leave but Kevin said no. Kevin then hit [V1] on the butt hard with a belt on his butt. [V1] said it was not a soft hit but a hard hit. [V1] later said when Kevin tried to put his penis in his butt he ran from him, it was at this point Kevin and [V1] left in the truck. After Kevin drove [V1] down the canyon and gave him $500.

During the interview there were seven other specific disclosures of sex abuse occurring in different jurisdictions, the interview will be given to the necessary jurisdictions for further investigation. [V1] also disclosed that more than 100 times, while Kevin was driving [V1] to the bank, or different locations, Kevin would put his hand down [V1]’s pants and touch his penis.

[V1] disclosed throughout the years of abuse, starting at the age of 13 years old, Kevin would give [V1] money and tell [V1] he could not say anything because he was paying him. Kevin would give [V1] nicotine products and bought him three cells phones and pay for [V1]’s cell phone plan. [V1] provided me with a phone that was purchased and paid for monthly by Kevin. If [V1] said he was going to tell anyone about the sexual abuse Kevin would tell him he can’t because he gives him money. [V1] estimated that over 3-4 years Kevin has given him approximately $15,000 to not say anything about the sexual abuse.

[V1] stated several times how Kevin would hit or spank him on the butt with his hand or his belt and he would hit him very hard when he did this. It should be noted that on a previous search of the data from Kevin’s cell phone, several pictures of people being spanked was found. There were also web searched of “images of boys who have been beaten whipped”, “child belt beating scars”, and “boy prostitute getting spanked stories”.

At the time of the abuse [V1]’s mother had died, his father was in prison and [V1] was in state custody. Kevin was a close friend of the family and, when previously asked, Kevin stated he was mentoring [V1] and had spoken to a lawyer about taking [V1] in as a foster child. These facts put Kevin as a person of trust to [V1].

I made contact with Kevin Sykes at [address] in Santaquin, Utah. Kevin was told he was being arrested for sex abuse and to come outside but Kevin refused. Kevin braced himself in the doorway by placing his hands above his head on the door jam. Myself and Sgt. [name] went hands on with Kevin to place him under arrest and he continued to brace in the doorway. At that point Kevin’s [family member] grabbed onto Kevin by the waist, and pulled him into the house. At that point a physical altercation ensued between me, and [family member] while Kevin was detained by Deputy [name]. Once [family member] was detained Kevin was escorted to my vehicle where he was transported to the Utah County Jail.

Kevin is being booked into the Utah County Jail on 76-5-308 Human Trafficking 1st Degree Felony, 76-5-403 Attempted Forcible Sodomy 1st Degree Felony, 76-5-401.1 Forcible Sex Abuse Class A Misdemeanor, and 76-5-109(3) Child Abuse Class A Misdemeanor and 1.

The Charge of Human Trafficking is enhanced due to Kevin being a person of trust to [V1].

It should be noted that since Kevin’s release after bonding out on his previous case and this arrest, Kevin has been seen in public by a Law Enforcement Officer with an unknown 14-15 year old male. I have also been contacted by two other males that reported being victimized by Kevin almost 30 years ago. Due to the evidence in Kevin’s previous arrest and the information in this case I feel Kevin is a danger to the public and the children of this county and requesting Kevin be held in jail with no bail.”

—

Another police probable cause statement dated 2022-05-16 reads:

“Victim, a 17-year-old male, reported that Defendant Kevin G Sykes, a 54-year-old male, had sexually abused him numerous times, beginning shortly after his mother died when he was ten years old. During an interview conducted at the West Jordan Children’s Justice Center, Victim stated that he believed Defendant had molested him more than a hundred times over the years, and disclosed the details of several incidents of abuse.

First Incident. When Victim was 10 years old, he spent the night at Defendant’s residence in Pleasant Grove, Utah. He fell asleep watching a movie and woke up to find Defendant had put his hands down the front of his pants and was manipulating his penis and his testicles. Victim stated that he reported the incident to Defendant’s family, but that they didn’t do anything about it. (F2 Child Sexual Abuse)

Second Incident, In the summer of 2020, when Victim was 16 years old. Defendant took Victim up Provo Canyon and parked off the side of the road near where construction was taking place. Defendant pulled Victim’s shirt up, unbuckled his belt, pulled his pants and underwear down around his knees and began manipulating Victim’s penis. Defendant asked Victim why he as [sic] not getting hard and Victim responded that he did not know. Defendant said he wanted to suck on Victim’s penis and Victim said no. Defendant removed his dentures and his mouth came close to Victim’s penis. Defendant also asked if he could put his penis in Victim’s butt. Victim said no, but Defendant attempted to do so anyway. Victim said he wanted to go home, but Defendant refused and began hitting Victim really hard on his butt. After they left the canyon, Defendant gave Victim $500 to not tell anyone about what happened. (F2 Attempted Sodomy x 2; Forcible Sexual Abuse x 2)

Third Incident, on Victim’s 16th birthday (12/5/2020) Defendant picked Victim up and took him to Maple Mountain, gave him a vape and some clothing as presents, forcefully pulled Victim’s pants down, touched his penis and testicles and spanked him hard. (Forcible Sexual Abuse x 2)

Fourth Incident: In or about 2019, Victim, his teenage friend and the friend’s father went to Defendant’s residence in Springville. The friend and the friend’s father stayed in the vehicle while Defendant took Victim into the garage, where he grabbed Victim’s crotch hard, rubbed his butt and told Victim not to say anything to the others. Victim’s friend and his father had moved the vehicle forward and observed this conduct. When Victim returned to the vehicle, the friend’s father asked Victim if he wanted him to confront Defendant about what had just happened. Victim just wanted it to be over, so he told his friend’s father to just go. (F2 Forcible Sexual Abuse x 2)

Fifth Incident, while Victim was 16 years old, Defendant took him to a storage unit near Defendant’s residence in Springville, Utah to work on a car that Defendant said he planned to give to Victim. Before they left, Defendant grabbed Victim, forcefully pulled his pants down and started hitting him hard on his butt. Defendant also played with Victim’s penis, testicles and butt. (Forcible Sexual Abuse x 2)

Deputies had seized Defendant’s phone in a separate incident and had searched it for child sex abuse material pursuant to a warrant. During this search, Detective observed photographs of sexual spanking. Defendant’s search history included numerous recent searches for subjects related to abusing young boys, including: (1) teenage boy prostitutes images; (2) parents sell boy for sex work human trafficking; (3) images of boys who have been beaten whipped; (4) child belt beating scars; (5) male boy gay sex slaves stories; and (6) many, many others.”

—

From the Utah County Sheriff’s Office on 2022-04-05:
Springville Man Arrested For Possessing Child Pornorgraphy
04/05/2022 07:29:23 pm

A 54 year old Springville man was arrested after Detectives found child pornography on his cell phone. Anyone who may have been a victim of this man is asked to contact Detectives.

*** PRESS RELEASE April 5, 2022 ***

On March 29, 2022, Detectives with the Utah County Sheriff’s Office Special Victims Unit received a tip about a man they were told had child pornography on his cell phone. When Detectives examined the phone they identified four images depicting boys ranging in age from approximately 8 years to 16 years old. The suspect in this case, Kevin G. Sykes, 54, of Springville, has a position in his church where he works with young men and boys in the same age range as those depicted in the pictures found on his phone. Sykes was arrested and booked into the Utah County Jail on four counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, all second degree felonies. A judge has set bail for Sykes at $5,000.00. Detectives want to encourage anyone who might have been victimized by Sykes to call them at (801)851-4010.

For questions contact Sergeant Spencer Cannon, Public Information Officer, Utah County Sheriff’s Office.

—

from ABC4 on 2022-04-25:

“Springville man arrested on human trafficking charges allegedly paid victim $15,000 to keep quiet
by: Ryan Bittan

Posted: Apr 25, 2022 / 01:01 PM MDT
Updated: Apr 25, 2022 / 01:02 PM MDT

SPANISH FORK, Utah (ABC4) – Further details have been released on the Springville man who was arrested for forcible sodomy, human trafficking, sexual abuse of a minor, child abuse and obstructing justice.

54-year-old Kevin Sykes, who was previously arrested for having photos on his phone depicting boys ranging from around 8 to 16 years old, allegedly abused a minor “more than 100 times” over the course of the abuse.

In an interview with a detective assigned to the Special Victims Unit, the victim alleges that Sykes “took him up Provo Canyon” and touched him in a sexual manner during the Summer of 2020.

The victim also states that Sykes made multiple requests during the incident to commit sexual acts on him, and that Sykes physically abused him after he refused.

Sykes allegedly gave the victim $500 to not speak of the incident.

During the interview, there were seven other specific disclosures of sex abuse occurring in different jurisdictions.

The victim stated that, more than 100 times, while Sykes was driving him to the bank, or different locations, Sykes would sexually abuse him.

Allegedly, during the “years of abuse,” starting at the age of 13 years old, the victim would receive money from Sykes, and was told he could not say anything because he was being paid.

Sykes would reportedly buy the victim nicotine products, and bought him three cell phones, even paying for his cell phone plan.

The victim estimated that, over three to four years, Sykes had given him approximately $15,000 to not speak up about his sexual abuse.

Additionally, the victim stated several times how Sykes would “hit” him with his hand or belt, and would do so “very hard.”

Court documents show that photos and web searches were recovered from Sykes’ phone depicting abuse of a similar nature.

At the time of the alleged abuse, the victim’s mother had died and his father was in prison, leaving him in state custody.

Sykes was a close friend of the family, according to the report, and stated that he was “mentoring” the boy, and had spoken to a lawyer about taking him in as a foster child.

These facts put Sykes as a person of trust to the victim.

When Sykes was arrested in Santaquin, Utah, he allegedly met officers with resistance, “bracing himself in the doorway by placing his hands above his head on the door jam.”

Sykes has been booked into the Utah County Jail on the following charges:

Child Abuse Involving Physical Injury
Forcible Sodomy
Human Trafficking
Obstructing Justice
Sexual Abuse of a Minor”

—

From KSL on 2023-02-18:

“PROVO — A former youth leader from Springville has admitted to sexually abusing a 14-year-old boy after police say he paid the boy thousands of dollars not to tell anyone.

Kevin Sykes, 55, pleaded guilty Feb. 9 to attempted aggravated sex abuse of a child and aggravated sex abuse of a child, first-degree felonies, plus three counts of forcible sexual abuse and four counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, second-degree felonies.

As part of the plea deal, prosecutors dismissed charges in two of the three cases it addressed, and prosecutors also agreed to dismiss any cases against Sykes currently being investigated.

Sykes was charged with sexually abusing a young boy for years, beginning when the boy was 10 years old, and giving the boy as much as $15,000 to keep the abuse secret.

During one incident in 2019 when the boy told Sykes to stop because he did not like it, Sykes told him, “‘Too bad,’ and, ‘I’m paying you money not to say anything,’ and kept doing it,” charging documents state.

Police said Sykes was a youth leader in his church and interacted with boys the same age range as those found in the pornography on his phone. They also said Sykes claimed to be “mentoring” the child at the time, which put Sykes in a position of trust over the boy. The investigation into Sykes began after his boss reported suspected child pornography on his phone, charging documents say.

In a statement supporting his plea, Sykes admitted to knowingly possessing or viewing child pornography and to taking indecent liberties with someone over 14 to gratify sexual desire, and taking and attempting to take indecent liberties with a child to gratify sexual desire.

Sykes is scheduled to be sentenced on March 27.

Although the judge will determine the sentence, prosecutors and Sykes’s attorney agreed to recommend concurrent prison terms of 15 years to life and three years to life for the first-degree felony charges, and between one and 15 years in prison for the second-degree felonies.”

—

On June 28, 2023, Sykes filed a motion to withdraw his guilty plea. FLOODLIT.org has obtained a copy of that motion thanks to your donations. It states in part:

“Defendant’s counsel was ineffective for failing to clarify with the Defendant the agreement of the parties, what the facts that he was pleading to, not discussing the case with him, and ultimately not going over the rights he was giving up when he entered his plea.

“The Defendant throughout the history of the case did not have time to ever speak to his attorney. The Defendant spoke to individuals associated with his attorney, but did not actually speak with his attorney. He was never read through the police report, and did not know the facts associated with each of the charges he plead to. When he was told about the plea deal the day before the hearing, it was on the eve of trial.

“The Defendant’s attorney did not explain the plea deal or the rights that he would be giving up if he entered the plea. When the Defendant went before the court, he did not know what he was pleading to, but went through with the plea anyway because he felt he had no other option and his attorney was not ready for trial.

“He did know the implications of his plea nor the rights he was giving up. He was not aware of the alleged in victims associate with each count and the Defendant learned the facts about the case from the presentence report filed with the court. It was at this time, he spoke with his attorney and asked for the plea to be withdrawn.

“Where the defendant was not informed of the facts of his case, was not aware of the charges and the alleged victims to each court, and was not told about the rights he was giving up prior to entering the plea, he did not knowingly or voluntarily enter his plea. The plea in these cases should be withdrawn.”

Add information