Man arrested, faces kidnapping charge after attempting to lure minor into vehicle

TAYLORSVILLE, Utah (ABC4) — A West Valley City man is facing charges of child kidnapping after police in Taylorsville say that he attempted to lure a juvenile into his vehicle inside of a gated community.

Trong Viet Pham, 54, faces one count of child kidnapping after he allegedly tried to get a girl into his car to "drive her home." The juvenile refused any offer to get into the vehicle and called her father. The father then called the police to report what had happened.

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"The juvenile was fearful of the male and caused her alarm," the affidavit of probable cause stated. Police responded to the area but were unable to locate any vehicle matching the description that the juvenile gave.

The probable cause statement also stated that police used video surveillance to see when the suspect vehicle entered the neighborhood. Police ran a records check on the vehicle that entered the neighborhood matching the juvenile's description and found that the owner of the vehicle lived in West Valley City.

Police went to the address that was on record for the man in the car, and a juvenile at the address answered and told authorities that the Pham was a tenant who lived in the basement of the property.

Police asked if they could enter the residence and speak to the tenants in the basement unit, and when an adult female answered the door, police asked if they could speak to Pham who was seated on the far side of the room. Police brought Pham outside to question him, and he stated that he was out with his wife shopping until later in the evening.

He was read his Miranda rights and Pham changed his statement, according to police, and said that "he and his wife were back and forth all day." He also said he remembered the little girl and "waved at her and offered her candy."

When asked about detaining her and offering her a ride, he said he was "Mormon and reads the bible" and "doesn't do stuff like that." He was arrested and booked into Salt Lake County Jail on the aforementioned charge.

Charges are allegations only. All arrested persons are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.