Utah Man Arrested For Providing Shelter To 13-Year-Old Runaway Girl

A man has been arrested after he was found to be harboring a 13-year-old runaway girl at his residence in Utah.

Edgar Urrutia-Gonzales, 22, was taken into custody Thursday on multiple charges, including three felonies, ABC 4 reported.

Urrutia-Gonzales' home in Layton City, Davis County, reeked of marijuana, according to authorities.

"When officers made contact at the residence, the odor of burnt marijuana could be smelled on the threshold of the residence with the door and windows shut. When the suspect answered the door, the odor was stronger and could be smelled coming from inside the residence," Gephardt Daily reported, citing an arrest warrant for the suspect.

When asked about the runaway girl, Urrutia-Gonzales wasn't initially cooperative. He refused to tell the police to tell if the minor was inside the residence, the report said.

While Urrutia-Gonzales was being detained, the authorities found two more minor girls, both aged 9, inside his home, according to a statement from the Layton City Police Department.

A search warrant was obtained for the property and the authorities found the 13-year-old runaway inside the man's residence.

Officers also discovered drug paraphernalia inside Urrutia-Gonzales' room. They said that the room's door was open and unlocked, therefore allowing anyone living in the house to access it.

"During an interview with the suspect, he admitted that he knew the 13-year-old ran away from home and he made no effort to reach out to her parents or law enforcement. The suspect also admitted that he smokes marijuana and had recently smoked marijuana as recently as two days ago. He told me that he and the 13-year-old juvenile smoked the marijuana together," the statement added.

The charges levied against Urrutia-Gonzales include three counts of endangerment of a child or elder adult, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, unlawfully providing shelter to a runaway and use or possession of drug paraphernalia.

According to the Gephardt Daily, it was confirmed that Urrutia-Gonzales is an illegal alien who was deported in 2019. Authorities believe he would likely flee the area to avoid persecution, so he was ordered held without bail.