Douglas Saltsman

Sources

1. Utah CEO gets 210 days in jail for having 13K files of infant & child rape, bestiality, KUTV, May 14, 2020.

• 1. Utah CEO gets 210 days in jail for having 13K files of infant & child rape, bestiality

  • 20200514
  • News article
  • KUTV

  • original
  • archived
  • back to list

  SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — UPDATE: An online petition to remove Judge Douglas Hogan is collecting signatures after his 210-day sentencing of former Utah tech CEO and admitted pedophile Douglas Saltsman on Thursday.

  (ORIGINAL REPORT) – A judge sentenced admitted pedophile and former Utah CEO Douglas Saltsman to 210 days in jail and 48 months probation on Thursday for possessing more than 13,000 files of graphic child pornography, some of which involved rape and bestiality.

  Saltsman was facing one to 15 years in prison, and a $10,000 fine for each of the three second-degree felonies, of which he pleaded guilty.

  Saltsman, 40, was originally facing 11 charges related to the seizure of more than 13,000 files of graphic child pornography in August 2019.

  Newly revealed in court Thursday was the fact that some of the child pornography files Saltsman admitted to viewing and sexually gratifying himself to featured bestiality.

  Douglas Eugene Saltsman mugshot. (Salt Lake County Jail)

  RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: Utah CEO arrested on child porn charges, former friends speak out

  Considered by many to be a "computer genius," Saltsman was the founder of a now-defunct blockchain and cryptocurrency company which was based in Sandy.

  Judge Douglas Hogan, however, suspended those recommendations, giving Saltsman 210 days in jail, saying:

  I'm going to suspend the imposition of the statutory terms. I'm going to place Mr. Saltsman on probation with Adult Probation & Parole (AP&P) for a period of 48 months. Consistent with the parties' stipulated agreement, Mr. Saltsman will serve 210 days in jail. Credit for the time served up to this point is 148, that leaves an outstanding balance to be served. Upon completing the total of 210 days he may be released to Adult Probation & Parole and Supervision. He's to check in immediately, which means within 48 hours. He'll be subject to group A sex offender conditions. He'll need to undergo and complete successfully sex offender treatment and therapy. He will also need to undergo a drug and alcohol evaluation and comply with any recommended treatment... Mr. Saltsman it's going to be incumbent upon you when you meet with your probation officer, make sure you completely understand all of those conditions."

  You can watch Saltsman's full sentencing below:

  Douglas Saltsman virtual sentencing hearing on May 14, 2020. (KUTV)

  During the sentencing, prosecutor Cynthia Poulsen pointed out that in his pre-sentencing evaluation, Saltsman only talked about himself and how the charges affected him.

  There was never any mention of the victims, the prosecution told Judge Hogan.

  Judge Hogan allowed Saltsman to address the court, which is within his rights. You can watch Saltsman's apology below:

  Convicted pedophile Douglas Saltsman makes a statement to the court during his May 14, 2020 sentencing done virtually. (Video: Adam Forgie, KUTV)

  During his sentencing, Saltsman said:

  I just want to say that every day I wake up to shame, guilt, regret, and disgust. When I did the psychosexual evaluation all I could talk about was confusion and compulsive behaviors, talk about downloading, viewing, and masturbating to child pornography. I didn't understand why I would think these things. I started seeing a psychiatrist right after that. I was prescribed medication and I began therapy. That's when I started to understand some of the deeper mental issues. I learned that my self-destructive behavior matches my self-hatred. That's what I was trying to share with AP&P. Mrs. Poulsen was right, I didn't see victims then, I saw it was only affecting myself. Now I see the victims. I just want to continue getting help. I want to repair the damage I have done, that I see that I have done. I want to be able to look at myself in the mirror. I'm sorry. I'll make sure this never happens again, you'll never see me."

  The details of the sordid case began when Saltsman was first busted by police on May 7, 2019, after searching his home and seizing his electronic devices.

  Douglas Saltsman. (Photo: Michael Klein)

  Police submitted the child pornography files to the law enforcement portal of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, where 279 of the submitted files depicted known identified child victims.

  Police first investigated child pornography when they were alerted to an internet provider address that was sharing child pornography using a peer-to-peer file-sharing program.

  The first file, according to documents, was a compilation video of prepubescent girls under 8, some as young as toddlers, being raped.

  Investigators obtained a search warrant and the Internet Crimes Against Children task force, known as ICAC, helped execute the search.

  Douglas Saltsman. (Photo: Michael Klein)

  According to documents, child sex abuse imagery involving toddlers and prepubescent children was found on a laptop, a black computer, an SSD storage device and an SD card. The children were bound and raped. Police also found "disturbing videos of Douglas Saltsman engaged (in) sexual intercourse with several unconscious women," on the seized devices.

  They also said they found a "clandestine drug lab of some sort" in a downstairs bedroom closet and called the Sandy Fire Department and hazmat team to make sure the chemical lab was not a public safety hazard.

  Saltsman made his first court appearance in December 2019.

  Douglas Saltsman. (Photo: Michael Klein)

  Saltsman's sentencing documents state the following:

  HEARING

  Counsel requests no further jail time for the defendant."

  RESTITUTION TO BE DETERMINED

  The prosecutor shall determine restitution and file a restitution order with the court, to remain open per statute."

  SENTENCE PRISON

  Based on the defendant's conviction of SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF A MINOR a 2nd Degree Felony, the defendant is sentenced to an indeterminate term of not less than one year nor more than fifteen years in the Utah State Prison.

  The prison term is suspended.

  Based on the defendant's conviction of SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF A MINOR a 2nd Degree Felony, the defendant is sentenced to an indeterminate term of not less than one year nor more than fifteen years in the Utah State Prison.

  The prison term is suspended.

  Based on the defendant's conviction of SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF A MINOR a 2nd Degree Felony, the defendant is sentenced to an indeterminate term of not less than one year nor more than fifteen years in the Utah State Prison.

  The prison term is suspended.

  ORDER OF PROBATION

  The defendant is placed on probation for 48 month(s). Probation is to be supervised by Adult Probation and Parole. Early Termination of Probation requires Notification to Prosecutor.

  No other violations. Report to AP&P within two (2) business days of today's hearing or upon release from jail. Abide by all "Group A" sex offender conditions as set by AP&P.

  Complete a substance abuse evaluation and comply with all recommended treatment.

  Defendant is not allowed to delete browser history on any electronic devices the defendant has access to.