Convicted sex offender arrested for sexual abuse of 6-year-old girl

HURRICANE — A convicted sex offender was taken into police custody Tuesday for allegedly sexually abusing a 6-year-old girl, his third sex-related felony charge in 18 years.

Edward Paulus booking photo posted March 31, 2015 | Photo courtesy of the Washington County Sheriff's Office, St. George News
Edward Paulus booking photo posted March 31, 2015 | Photo courtesy of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, St. George News

According to a statement filed by Hurricane City Police Officer Edward Smith, an interview of the child by workers at the Children’s Justice Center in St. George, and an interview with her mother, led to probable cause for the arrest of Hurricane resident Edward Paulus, 37, for sexual abuse.

The child’s statements described Paulus physically penetrating her in her lower female parts and staring at those parts while she was using the bathroom in his home.

“The (alleged) victim’s mother disclosed to officers that Edward had cared for her daughter on multiple occasions and had the opportunity to be alone with her during these occasions,” Smith said in the statement. “The mother was unaware at the time of Edward’s Sex Offense conviction and mandatory filing with the Utah State Sex Offender Registry.”

The child’s mother also said her daughter had spent many nights sleeping over at Paulus’ house because he and his wife were her babysitters, Smith said.

“I asked the mother if she considered Edward to be in a position of trust as a care giver to her child,” Smith said, “and she stated yes.”

According to Smith’s statement, the police interviewed Paulus and he denied any wrongdoing. His wife, however, provided police collaborating information and said he was present in the bathroom with the girl when the alleged incident occurred.

Paulus admitted to violating the terms of his sex offense conviction, Smith’s statement said, in that he picked up the girl from her school grounds and drove her to his home.

According to Utah Court documents, Paulus’ first sex-related offense occurred in June 1995 when he was charged with second-degree felony sexual abuse of a child. Paulus  pleaded guilty to the charge in 1996 and was sentenced to serve one to 15 years in state prison with an allowance to serve in Cedar City.

Paulus again had a run-in with police in 2012 when he was charged and found guilty of failing to register as a sex offender, a third-degree felony. Paulus received an indeterminate prison sentence of up to five years, which was then suspended, allowing him to serve 90 days in jail, 18 months probation and pay a fine of about $783.

Police arrested Paulus Tuesday and booked him into the Washington County Purgatory Correctional Facility. He is charged with one first-degree felony for aggravated sexual abuse of a child and one class A misdemeanor for being present in a protected area where sex offenders are restricted from entering, that is to say the school.

Paulus’ bail for release is set at $21,960 and, at the time of this publication, he remains in police custody, according to current bookings information.

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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20 Comments

  • ladybugavenger April 1, 2015 at 9:07 pm

    Wonder what that neighbor who rose to his defens in the last arrest has to say now. Sicko, should know better than to be near a child without a witness. He did serve time in prison and I say….looks guilty. Definitely not innocent or he wouldn’t be alone with a child ( with his past record)

  • Real Life April 1, 2015 at 10:09 pm

    Very disturbing. Stories like this will turn your stomach. Now about those children in Colorado City.

  • paul April 1, 2015 at 10:37 pm

    Oh let’s just let him out again on good behavior and give him a 50 dollar fine so he can do it again Lock him up for good this time. How many more is it going to take.What a piece of !!!!!!!

  • fun bag April 1, 2015 at 10:49 pm

    Is this possibly the same character that’s been creeping around victimizing farm animals in Hurrikun?

    • Freelance April 2, 2015 at 9:35 am

      Oh oh you’re a gonna make ROBB cry again

      • Robb April 2, 2015 at 11:23 am

        Wow, speaking of crying. Sorry Lance, didn’t mean to hit a nerve with any previous posts.

        • Robb April 2, 2015 at 11:29 am

          BTW, the only way Gas Bag’s post would make me cry is if I had suddenly adopted your morals, or your emotional state.

          • fun bag April 2, 2015 at 1:22 pm

            It’s ok if u wanna cry robb, we won’t tell 😉

          • Freelance April 2, 2015 at 5:53 pm

            Whàaaaaaaaaaa whàaaaaaaaaaa oh oh we made ROBB cry again

  • sagemoon April 2, 2015 at 8:47 am

    A life time pervert. Lock him up for the rest of his life this time.

  • Mean Momma April 2, 2015 at 9:57 am

    This MONSTER needs a life sentence this time. His wife needs some serious jail time as well! Protect the children and put these two away for good!

  • Robb April 2, 2015 at 11:27 am

    After all these easy or suspended sentences, perhaps the state will now get serious about removing this guy from society for a very long time, if not the rest of his life.

  • JODIE April 2, 2015 at 11:53 am

    That sick bastard needs to be locked up and throw away the key. And what parent wouldn’t do their due diligence with a pervert like that allowed anywhere near their child?

  • Linda April 2, 2015 at 12:08 pm

    Really? there was a 2nd instance, and Now a 3rd? What the hell is wrong with the judicial system, Hello, this monster needs to be put away for life, evidently he has some serious issues and can not be left alone in the real world, Good Grief, I hope they lock him up and loose the key this time.

    • izzymuse April 2, 2015 at 5:50 pm

      Exactly. Let the pedophiles run around town without a consequence BUT the local system will NOT allow dancing or massages without a license! Ridiculous law enforcement.

  • Simone April 2, 2015 at 11:54 pm

    The funny thing is that if he were white and a Mormon he’d get a $20,000 fundraiser, assigned 5 more wives and promoted to Bishop! 🙂

    • izzymuse April 3, 2015 at 11:40 pm

      Huh? Why stop there?! …or if he were Muslim, he could be a jihad leader in Iran or Saudi Arabia (they’re happily in the business of polygamy and pedophilia)— or a catholic bishop and receive sanctuary in another country harbored by the pope (that dang celibacy code must be difficult to live)! OR an evangelical minister who claims “God” has sent him on a special mission to “save” souls in his own unique (mysterious) way, OR if he were a secular,atheist philosopher who lives “religiously” to his Darwin beliefs – “the strongest survive” therefore no mercy on the weak…. Etc.

      Blah, blah, anti-Mormon blah! BORING. Get a little more sophisticated with your world view and move on. Mormons definitely have their problems LIKE every institution or culture, but be more consistent with all the others too. Didn’t say something like, “Judge not, unless you’ll be judged.” Or “those who are perfect throw the first stone.”?

      • izzymuse April 3, 2015 at 11:42 pm

        *Correction: Didn’t Jesus Christ say something like, “Judge not, unless you’ll be judged.” Or “those who are perfect throw the first stone.”?

  • Car4sale April 3, 2015 at 9:08 am

    Simone no that fundraiser is worth 50.000

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