UTAH COUNTY, Utah (ABC4) – The Utah County Sheriff’s Office (UCSO) announced on Tuesday that it is investigating reports of ritualistic child sexual abuse and trafficking that occurred in Utah County, Juab County, and Sanpete County during the time between 1990 and 2010.

Information is extremely limited right now and no one has been arrested yet, but authorities say they are starting to make some headway in this case and are hoping by sharing this information, more people will come forward.

In April 2021, an investigation began into ritualistic child sexual abuse and child sex trafficking that happened in Utah County, deputies say. A portion of those allegations was confirmed.

“It’s hard to believe that somebody would do this to another human being,” Sgt. Spencer Cannon with the UCSO tells ABC4.

“It’s very, very disturbing.”

The allegations are now being investigated by the Utah County Sheriff’s Office in cooperation with other local and federal agencies.

“It’s typically by a group of people, you know, two or more people that are involved in it, and not just, you know, somebody’s uncle or brother, or sister or whatever, that’s involved in individual cases, or incidents of abuse, but more of an organized effort,” Sgt. Cannon said.

He could not comment on if the organized effort was religious, but did confirm victims first started coming forward a few months ago

Officials say they are “pleading” with the public and are encouraging victims, or people with knowledge of these crimes, to contact the Utah County Sheriff’s Office Special Victim’s Unit, so they can be offered all the assistance possible.

“We have gotten to the point where we believe we have been able to verify some of the information that we’ve been told, and has led us to believe that it’s likely that there are others out there who have been victimized and may have been intimidated or threatened into silence and we want to help them,” Sgt. Cannon said.

That is why the UCSO is talking about the case. Within an hour of sending out a press release, Cannon personally received two calls.

“Where those calls will lead. We don’t know yet. But we’ll follow the information that is given to us and take it where wherever it leads,” Sgt. Cannon said.

ABC4 also asked Cannon if the public is in danger at this time. He said they have no specific threats, but until they find out who exactly is behind all of this, they can’t really say there is no danger.

Anyone with information can contact the Utah County Sheriff’s Office at 801-851-4010.