Child Abuser charged with trying to hire a Hit Man to kill Victim's Family
From The Office of the Attorney General
The Utah Attorney General's Office charged a convicted child abuser today with trying to hire someone to kill a young victim and her family. Dennis Lingmann, 46, will be sentenced tomorrow for two second-degree felony counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, one third-degree felony count of sexual activity with a 16 or 17-year-old and one class A misdemeanor count of stalking.
Lingmann is now facing six first-degree felony counts of conspiracy to commit aggravated murder. According to court records, Lingmann offered $16,000 to kill the child abuse victim and her family. Lingmann allegedly offered to pay half the money up front and half after the murders were committed.
According to the court documents, Lingmann said "...if there is no victim, I'm out of here." He also allegedly negotiated to have the family's home burned down with the victim and her parents and three sisters inside.
Lingmann was a trusted employee of the victim's parents and he started a sexual relationship with the victim when she was 15 years old. He sent child pornography to the victim and convinced her to take more than 1,000 pictures of herself.
"The facts in this case should stop every parent in their tracks about the dangers facing our children," says Attorney General Mark Shurtleff. "I cannot say how grateful I am to the investigators and prosecutors who preventing this predator from causing any more harm."
The investigation into Lingmann is a cooperative effort between the Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office and the Utah Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force with the Utah Attorney General's Office. The case is being prosecuted through the cooperation of the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office and the Utah Attorney General's Office.
What: Sentencing of Dennis Lingmann
When: 9:00 a.m., Friday, September 4, 2009
Where: Courtroom of Judge Vernice Trease, Matheson Courthouse, 450 South State, Salt Lake City
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