ST. GEORGE, Utah (AP) - A southern Utah Republican party official has been arrested in a prostitution sting a week after a politician from a neighboring city stepped down amid allegations that he met a prostitute in a taxpayer-funded hotel room.
The Spectrum newspaper reports Iron County Republican Party treasurer Blake Cozzens was arrested Tuesday after paying $100 for sex acts he discussed in text messages with a confidential informant.
The 28-year-old Cozzens was one of five people arrested in the sting by St. George Police, who posted ads posing as a female prostitute.
A publicly listed phone number for Cozzens went unanswered, and an email message from The Associated Press wasn’t immediately returned. He is also the son of a Cedar City councilman.
The arrest comes after the resignation of Utah Rep. Jon Stanard of St. George.
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