HURRICANE – A 37-year-old convicted sex offender was arrested Thursday for being in the presence of a child after he reportedly picked his daughter and her friend up from school and allowed the two girls to have a sleepover at his home.
Edward Scott Paulus, of Hurricane, was reported by a parent who told police Paulus failed to disclose he was a registered sex offender, Hurricane City Police Officer Ian Atkinson said in a probable cause statement supporting the arrest.
Paulus had been taking the girls to and picking the girls up from school since January and the two girls had been having sleepovers together at his home, the statement said.
“Through this time,” Atkinson said in the statement, “the complainant had no knowledge that (Paulus) was a registered sex offender.”
In April 1996, Paulus was convicted of second-degree felony sexual abuse of a child, according to Utah court documents; and, in December 2012, he was convicted of failure to register as a sex offender, a third-degree felony.
Utah law mandates that a sex offender convicted of committing a sex offense against a child younger than 14 years of age, is guilty of a class A misdemeanor if the sex offender requests, invites or solicits a child to accompany the sex offender without informing the child’s parents they are a registered sex offender and receives written authorization for the child to accompany them.
Police contacted and questioned Paulus about the situation.
“He admitted to the offense and stated he was unaware of the stipulation,” Atkinson said.
Paulus was arrested and booked into the Washington County Purgatory Correctional Facility. He was charged with a class A misdemeanor for being in the presence of child as a registered sex offender.
His bail pending trial stands at $5,000.
Paulus’ court arraignment is scheduled for Feb. 26.
Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact.
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Yeah for real. Once a pedo always a pedo. Guy should not be around little girls.
So his child should not have a normal childhood?
Yep, I’d be outraged if my daughter spent the night as his house and then I found out he was a sex offender. Very sad for his daughter and the friend and her parents.
That **** stays with you all of your life for a reason. Stay away from people under 18 pervs
Between the perpetual stories about sex offenders and drug abusers in this area, the snow storm was a welcome relief and change of news…
What snow storm.?
We all want to protect the children. But what about the children that grow up and then are hurt by the system? Does anyone care that this man was only 17 when he perpetrated? Does anyone care that he came from a home that hurt him as a child, badly! Does anyone care that he has never hurt another child in the 13 years, since he was in prison? Did he break the law about not having written permission, yes, unknowingly, which should not be an excuse but nevertheless is a fact. Where is the compassion for the hurt children that then have to grow up? Does anyone care that he has a wife and children of his own? Does anyone care that he can barely find a job to take care of his family, because of his record? This man has tried so hard to overcome what he did as a child himself, including paying his full debt to society. When does the abuse against him stop?
No, didn’t know he was 17 when it happened, how do you know?
Let’s see he’s 37, was convicted in 1996, that’s 19 years ago. 37-19=18. And if his birthday is between now and the first week of April he would have been 19 but definitely not 17, i think he was 18. Obviously, the system didn’t take that into consideration at the time and made him register as a sex offender or he took a plea and agreed with it….biggest mistake of his life. It still is amazing how they get away with it in Colorado city and hildale.
He was 17 when he offended….it was another year before it was found out and then all the legal stuff took a while and then prison. What about the people who perpetrated on him when he was just a little boy? Why, they are all still free and not ex-felons.
A major injustice done in the crimes against him. I understand that. That’s a hard thing to live with, almost like, he paid the price for the perpetrators against him and they walked free. I get it, I really do. He didn’t harm this girl that spent the night. Its all very sad!
He pays for what he did, and he pays for what was done to him everyday of his life.while these people that abused him as a child walk around as if they have no blood on their hands. I really do understand the injustice
Because I have been his and his wife’s friend for many years…..this is a good man.
once a pedo. always a pedo…
Ever peed outside? Camping etc? Have a kid accidentally walk up and….tahdah! Now you are a pedophile. That’s right….indecent exposure in front of a kid makes you have to register as a sex offender.
In this case you’re wrong, Fun Bag.
….and Fun Bag- dont pee outside.
Now that is good advice.
He didn’t disclose it to the parent, the parent had a right to know. That’s the problem!
I suppose he could have been 17 when the crime was committed and 18 when convicted. Whatever! Doesn’t matter, didn’t register, didn’t disclose it.
Why does a parent not have the right to know if a friend’s parent has a criminal record for murder, assault, domestic violence, drunk driving, drug dealing, etc?
They do have the right. Ask questions! Parent is a verb NOT A NOUN! You parent! You are not a parent. I don’t know about you, but I don’t share the details of my life with the parents of my daughter’s friends. However, I will answer questions honestly.
You have the right to ask questions about anything. As a parent, that sounds like a good idea.
Let me rephrase. Why is it not a state requirement that any convicted felon has to inform the parents of minors left in their care of their criminal record? Why is the failure to disclose such information not a subsequent crime across the baord?
Poppins, we do not need a law for everything! Too many laws! Pretty soon the government will be raising children and not the parents.
Apparently, being a registered sex offender you have to disclose that information to parents before you have children spend the night at your house, sex with children is different than alcohol or drug related arrests, murder is usually life in prison.
I would stick with, trust no one! The moment you put your trust in someone, they will show you why you shouldn’t have.
How about going after the real sex offenders who live an hour to the east? Those sicko pedophiles are getting away with murder out there.
He should of been a cab driver then he would of been driving people around instead of being home