WEST VALLEY CITY — A South Salt Lake man who was previously convicted in an undercover online sting has now been charged with the rape of a 16-year-old girl, following a DNA match that linked him to the unsolved 2022 assault.
According to court documents, Wes Clarence Max Rhodes, 39, was charged Tuesday in 3rd District Court with rape and two counts of forcible sodomy — all first-degree felonies — as well as forcible sexual abuse, a second-degree felony.
The case dates back to August 2022, when a 16-year-old runaway reported that she was sexually assaulted after accepting a ride from a man she didn’t know. The victim told police that the man pulled over, got on top of her, and said, “Do you want to do this the easy way or the hard way?” before assaulting her in the back seat of his vehicle.
The following day, the victim underwent a sexual assault examination, and investigators collected DNA evidence from the attack. However, the identity of the assailant remained unknown for more than a year.
In February 2023, Rhodes was arrested in a multi-agency online sting operation conducted during the NBA All-Star Game in Salt Lake City. Authorities said he attempted to meet with someone he believed to be a 13-year-old girl for sex. Rhodes was convicted of enticing a minor and sentenced to probation in August 2024.
As part of his probation terms and sex offender registration, Rhodes was required to provide a DNA sample — which later matched the profile collected from the 2022 assault. The match was confirmed in February 2025, according to prosecutors.
“The defendant took advantage of the victim, who was in a vulnerable state,” prosecutors wrote in charging documents. “Lab results determined that the defendant was a contributor to swabs taken during her sexual assault exam.”
Investigators say the evidence clearly connects Rhodes to both cases, with his DNA directly tying him to the earlier crime.
Rhodes remains under supervision for his prior conviction while awaiting further proceedings in the new sexual assault case.
