A 59-year-old Wasatch County man who worked as a sex therapist in Provo and is facing 10 felony child sex abuse charges will stand trial in court.

Fourth District Court Judge Shawn Howell ruled April 29 that prosecutors had presented enough evidence to proceed in the case of Mitchell McKee.

According to a probable cause affidavit, McKee was arrested in March 2024 on suspicion of human trafficking of a child, sexual exploitation of a minor, enticement of a minor, forcible sodomy and dealing in material harmful to a minor.

The investigation began after a traffic stop two months prior in January 2024 when Heber City police spoke with a 15-year-old boy while he was in a vehicle with another adult who allegedly told police he was with the boy “for the purpose of sex,” charging documents stated.

During the traffic stop, while the boy was being interviewed by police, he told them about another adult he had allegedly been engaging in sexual activity with in exchange for vape pens.

Authorities later identified that man as McKee, according to the affidavit.

The boy told police he met the adults via a social media app used for video games, where McKee was reportedly using a different name. The boy shared with police that he had explicit photos of the man and described the type of vehicle McKee drove and the places they would meet, the affidavit states.

The case was turned over to the Utah Attorney General’s Office. Agents from the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force executed a search warrant at McKee’s home and found explicit images of underage males on his electronic devices, according to the affidavit.

McKee was an employee at the Wasatch County Sheriff’s Office at the time of the arrest but was later suspended, according to KPCW.

Due to his position within Wasatch County, the case was transferred to the 4th District Court, court documents noted.

The affidavit revealed that he was also working as a sex therapist in Utah County.

McKee’s LinkedIn profile states that he is a licensed marriage and family therapist and mental health counselor at multiple practices in Provo, but he is not currently listed on the website of any businesses.

However, he still maintains a “limited active” license, according to the Utah Department of Professional Licensing’s website.

The April 29 preliminary hearing focused much on admissibility of evidence and witness testimonies supporting allegations that McKee engaged in explicit acts with the boy despite knowing his age.

State prosecutor Ian Ross called witnesses who detailed gathered evidence supposedly supporting the claims that McKee solicited the boy for alleged acts.

“We have a situation where the victim is 14 years of age or older, but younger than 18 years of age, and the actor was more than three years older than the victim, entices or coerces the victim to submit or participate,” Ross said during his arguments.

But defense attorney Bradley Henderson countered by saying the alleged victim’s account of what happened doesn’t meet the state requirements for coercion or force to warrant the proposed charges against McKee.

After a brief recess and time for Howell to look over the statement from the alleged victim, she ruled there was sufficient evidence to proceed to a trial but didn’t specify as to why.

“It’s not my wish to comment on why specifically I’m binding it over,” Howell said. “Other than just I feel the state has met its burden for today, and so that’s my ruling.”

McKee will enter a plea at his arraignment May 28.