Possible plea deal coming for Price man charged with allegedly sexting with undercover Logan police officer

LOGAN — The preliminary hearing for a 34-year-old Price man accused of sexting with an undercover officer in Logan has been postponed, as attorneys work on a possible plea deal. Richard R. Aldaba was arrested and charged in November 2021.

Aldaba was scheduled to appear in 1st District Court for the preliminary hearing Wednesday afternoon. He was previously charged with six counts of enticing a minor by internet or text, four second-degree felonies and two third-degree felonies.

Court staff explained that the Utah Department of Corrections had been unable to transfer Aldaba, who is currently in prison on other crimes, being housed in Beaver County.

Defense attorney Mike McGinnis said they had worked out a plea deal but asked for a new hearing so the defendant could appear by video conference. He didn’t provide any details about the agreement.

According to an arrest warrant, on Mar. 16, 2021, Aldaba messaged a Logan City police officer on a social networking app called MocoSpace. The officer was posing as a 12-year-old girl.

As the messaging continued, Aldaba allegedly asked the officer for their phone number to exchange text messages. When the two began texting, the suspect allegedly began sending sexually explicit messages, describing what he wanted to do with the supposed girl. He also expressed an interest in meeting up in person.

The warrant stated that Aldaba continued to request a picture and asked the undercover officer to promise that they weren’t a cop. The messaging continued into the night but then stopped.

The officer later learned that Aldaba was arrested the next day and booked into the Carbon County Jail for violating his probation. He had previously been convicted of multiple drug crimes and was later sentenced to one-year in prison.

During Wednesday’s hearing, Judge Brian Cannell continued the case until June 22.

Aldaba could face more than 15 years in prison, if convicted.

Individuals arrested and charged in complaints are presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.


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1 Comment

  • KA May 18, 2022 at 3:25 pm Reply

    Good lord what pre-teen girl wants to hook up with a guy old enough to be her father? So gross. Use your brain men (I mean the OTHER brain.)

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