Payden Davis, a 30-year-old from Santa Clara, Utah, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release. The sentence was handed down after Davis pleaded guilty to charges related to his intent to meet and sexually abuse an 11-year-old boy. This follows previous convictions for possession of child pornography.
Davis violated the terms of his federal supervised release from a prior conviction in 2018. U.S. District Court Judge Ann Marie McIff Allen imposed the sentence after Davis’s guilty plea on February 6, 2025.
Court documents reveal that between November 6 and November 7, 2023, Davis communicated via social media using a portable gaming console with an undercover agent posing as the father of an 11-year-old boy. During these communications, Davis expressed his intentions to engage in sexual activities with the child, stating “I think it would be fun, if he is into it.” A meeting was arranged at a pre-determined location where Davis was arrested without incident on November 7, 2025. At the time of arrest, evidence including a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 cellphone and an AYANEO handheld gaming computer were found in his possession.
The announcement was made by Acting U.S. Attorney Felice John Viti of the District of Utah. The investigation was conducted by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office and St. George Resident Agency.
Assistant United States Attorney Christopher Burton prosecuted the case under Project Safe Childhood. This initiative aims to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse through coordinated efforts among federal, state, and local resources since its launch in May 2006 by the Department of Justice.
For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit Justice.gov/PSC.
