Suspected Alisa Petrov groomer Samuel Teancum Mitchell’s sister has issued an emotional plea to a judge, urging him to deny bond or any form of release for her brother, citing a dangerous pattern of abuse and manipulation within their family.
Samuel Mitchell, a 41-year-old man from Herriman, Utah, was arrested on May 28 and charged with five counts of sexual exploitation of a minor and one count of enticing a minor, following revelations that he communicated with a 15-year-old girl, Alisa Petrov, via the Discord app just days before Petrov disappeared.
Mitchell allegedly exchanged sexually explicit messages and admitted to planning in-person meetings that never materialized due to alleged illness. Investigators also uncovered disturbing material involving other underage girls—one as young as twelve—on his phone.
Petrov, who vanished from South Jordan on April 21, turned herself in at a Colorado Springs police station on June 1. She appeared to be in good health, though questions remain about whether she had been coerced or held against her will.
A bleak portrait of the Mitchell household
A shocking letter was submitted to the judge by the sister of Samuel Mitchell, who was arrested on sex crime charges during the disappearance of 15-year-old “AP” in Utah. In the letter, Mitchell’s sister pleads with the court not to release him, warning that he poses a danger to… pic.twitter.com/X6ssv6j21P
— SF INVESTIGATES • STEVE FISCHER (@SF_investigates) June 18, 2025
In her letter, Mitchell’s sister, Trudy Mitchell, paints a bleak portrait of Mitchell’s household. She recalls how another brother violated a domestic violence restraining order, prompting Mitchell to bail him out.
Not long after his release, she alleges that her other brother severely assaulted his wife, leaving her hospitalized before tragically taking his own life at the scene. According to the sister, this illustrates a disturbing family history of enabling abuse and violence.
Mitchell would live in a home with minors
@KUTV2News #AlisaPetrov
— Leslie Duarte (@itsleslieduarte) May 29, 2025
South Jordan police announced the arrests of Samuel Teancum Mitchell of Herriman, Utah, and Matthew Nicholas Menard, of Miami, Florida in connection to Petrov's disappearance. A man from Texas has also been arrested. pic.twitter.com/Rg9yUlZJ0n
What heightens her concern is that Mitchell’s proposed residence, should he be released, is a family home frequented by his nephews and nieces. She argued that releasing him into that environment would put her young relatives at risk.
Mitchell has formally requested bond in a June 11 motion, offering to pay $5,000–$10,000, wear a GPS monitor, hand over internet devices, and agree to sex-offender conditions. His attorney emphasized Mitchell’s ties to Utah and claimed supervised release would keep him from fleeing.
However, the sister’s letter and the severity of the charges have intensified public concern, and the judge has yet to issue his ruling.
Petrov update
Alisa Petrov (15) has been found. She walked into a police station in Colorado Springs and identified herself.
— Rose (@901Lulu) June 2, 2025#FOUND pic.twitter.com/O5O7dUHfMC
Alongside Mitchell, two other men have been charged in connection with her disappearance. William Taylor Glines, 37, out of Texas, faces multiple felony counts, including aggravated sexual exploitation and enticement. New details show he targeted Petrov in explicit chats before she vanished. Matthew Nicholas Menard, 35, from Miami, turned himself in on May 28 and faces similar charges.
Despite these charges, officials have emphasized that none of the three men are accused of directly abducting or harming Petrov. Instead, all are charged under Utah laws concerning sexual exploitation and enticement of a minor.
Authorities continue investigating the circumstances of her six-week disappearance and how she traveled to Colorado.
Mitchell behind bars without bail
41-year-old Utah man linked to the disappearance of 15-year-old Alisa Petrov made his first appearance in court.
— Heidi Hatch KUTV (@tvheidihatch) June 5, 2025
Samuel Teancum Mitchell of Herriman was in court this morning facing two felony charges, enticing a minor a first-degree felony and sexual exploitation of a minor.… pic.twitter.com/gS2kVwLoPL
As of today, Mitchell remains in the Salt Lake County Jail without bail. The judge’s decision on his bond motion may not only determine Mitchell’s fate but could set a critical precedent in how courts handle cases involving sexual predators and family intervention.
This explosive letter from his sister adds new fuel to a heated legal battle—one that exposes the messy intersections of secret online predation, domestic violence, and family loyalty. Will the court heed her warnings and leave Mitchell behind bars, or will promises of monitoring and restrictions suffice?
