SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (Office of the Attorney General), published as received.
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah — An Oregon man is now in federal custody and charged in a criminal complaint with transportation with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity after he allegedly met a Utah minor online in May 2025, drove to Utah to pick up the victim, and then transported the victim to his residence across state lines. The minor was recovered by law enforcement at the residence on Nov. 1.
“Anyone engaged in the sexual exploitation of a minor will be held accountable,” said Attorney General Todd Blanche. “Today’s arrest is the first step toward bringing the accused to justice and relieving the pain endured by the victim and her family. This Department of Justice will never stop investigating and prosecuting individuals engaged in vicious predatory behavior.”
“This individual is charged with transporting a minor to another state to engage in criminal sexual activity, a minor who was missing for a year and a half until Oregon police recovered her based on information provided by the FBI,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “According to the criminal complaint the minor was groomed on gaming platforms and engaged in acts of self-harm and sexually explicit activity. To anyone targeting and exploiting children: this FBI and our partners are coming for you. We are using every tool at our disposal to combat nihilistic violent extremism, bring offenders to justice, and protect America’s most vulnerable. I want to thank the FBI Salt Lake Field Office, the Oregon State Police, and federal prosecutors for their outstanding work on this case.”
“Our priority in this case was the safe return of the minor victim,” said U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak for the District of Utah. “Those who allegedly exploit and prey upon the most vulnerable members of our communities will be relentlessly investigated and held accountable. I want to thank the FBI and our local law enforcement partners in Oregon for their swift efforts to safely recover the victim and for their continued partnership as we pursue justice for the victim and the victim’s family.”
Adam Hunter Harmel, 39, of Huntington, Oregon, was charged in a federal complaint on Nov. 2 in the District of Utah. He had his initial appearance on the complaint on Nov. 4 at the U.S. District Courthouse in Boise, Idaho.
According to court documents, beginning in or about May 2025 and continuing until Nov. 1, in the District of Utah and elsewhere, Harmel allegedly transported the minor victim with the intent to engage in sexual activity with the victim. On or about Aug. 20, 2025, FBI Salt Lake City received information that the minor victim had disappeared in May 2025. During the investigation, the FBI learned that the minor victim was allegedly groomed on gaming platforms that are commonly used by Nihilistic Violent Extremist (NVE) Groups members to solicit sexually explicit photos and maiming photos. The grooming then transitioned to other social media applications. On Nov. 1, the FBI received a tip about the possible location of the minor victim and that the victim met Harmel on a social media application in May 2025. As alleged in court documents, Harmel kept a knife under his pillow to prevent the minor victim from escaping.
The case is being investigated by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office in conjunction with the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force. Valuable assistance was provided by the Oregon State Police.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jawayria Z. Auchter for the District of Utah and Trial Attorneys Justin Sher and James Donnelly of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.
A complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
