A Utah Republican has been arrested in a prostitution sting a week after a GOP politician in a neighboring city was forced to resign after claims he paid an escort for sex.
Blake Cozzens, 28, the Iron County Republican Party Treasurer, was arrested after investigators posted advertisements posing as a female prostitute with the help of a confidential informant.
His arrest comes resignation of state Representative Jon Stanard, from neighboring St George, who quit after a call girl told DailyMail.com he paid her for sex during two business trips to Salt Lake City, Utah, in 2017.
Blake Cozzens, a local Republican treasurer, has been arrested after police officers posed as a prostitute
Cozzens was one of five men arrested by St. George Police Department. He allegedly traveled from his home in Cedar City to St. George to meet with the informant, with whom he had discussed a sex act in text messages.
Once Cozzens handed over $100, investigators arrested him, according to court documents, The St. George Spectrum reported.
The property developer owns Stress-Free Property Management and is a known real estate developer in the area.
Cozzens, the son of Councilman Paul Cozzens, who is currently running for a seat on the Iron County Commission, has since been released.
Stanard, 43, who is married with three kids, exchanged text messages with call girl Brie Taylor and arranged to meet her in Salt Lake City on at least two occasions last year.
Stanard was elected to the Utah House of Representatives in 2012 and has three children
Call girl Brie Taylor (above) claims Stanard paid her for sex during two business trips to Salt Lake City
In one particular exchange, Taylor asked Stanard if she should bring any ‘accessories’ or ‘toys’, perhaps a ‘corset’.
Taxpayer funds were used to pay for at least two hotel rooms he is alleged to have used to meet up with the prostitute.
Stanard voted in favor of stricter laws on prostitution, including increasing the penalty for soliciting sex to $2,500.
On his website he states: ‘I am a strong advocate for conservative family values. I am pro-life, as well as for traditional marriage.’