A Lehi man is in custody facing charges for child sexual exploitation after allegedly sharing inappropriate pictures of minors.

According to the probable cause statement filed in support of the arrest, several files including material related to child sexual exploitation were shared from an IP address over a peer-to-peer network on Feb. 20.

During the investigation, officials with the Utah Attorney General’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force discovered the IP address belonged to a user residing in Utah County.

The task force recorded information on the residence of the IP address and executed a search warrant Tuesday morning where they made contact with 41-year-old Robert Preston Wily, who was residing in the residence.

Police took Wily into custody and read him his Miranda rights. Wily agreed to speak with authorities, allegedly telling them he used the peer-to-peer network to download images and videos of child sexual exploitation, according to arrest documents.

After downloading the files, Wily also told police he would repeatedly engage in sexual acts while looking at the images and videos, including on the day of the arrest.

Wily provided the password to his laptop, which the police used to gain access to the computer that he allegedly used to view the child sexual exploitation material.

When officials opened the laptop, they reportedly discovered an open web browser with multiple tabs open, showing child sexual exploitation files. According to the probable cause affidavit, links within the webpage also led to other files of a similar manner.

The images allegedly showed girls between the ages of 8 and 13 years old in various stages of undress.

Wily was taken into custody under the suspicion of second-degree felony sexual exploitation of a minor. He is currently being held at the Utah County Jail.

Arresting officers have petitioned that he be held on a high bail set to $500,000 as he has access to a child within the age range of the girls depicted in the files, is considered a flight risk due to his frequent travels outside of the country, and has a previous conviction for sexual battery and sexual assault from 2003.