Bend man arrested after alleged explicit texts to teen in undercover police operation

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- A 47-year-old Bend resident was arrested Thursday on suspicion of luring a minor for sexual conduct and online sexual corruption of a minor. Collin Evan Fogel was taken into custody following an investigation involving an undercover officer.

Bend Police received an initial report on July 31 after a man approached a 16-year-old girl at a neighborhood pool. The man asked for her phone number under the pretext of hiring her to babysit his child, but subsequently sent text messages that made the teenager uncomfortable.

An officer took over the text communication with Fogel while pretending to be the teenager. Police said Fogel repeatedly sent sexually explicit messages and images during the exchange.

At approximately 12:44 p.m. Thursday, the officer posing as the teenager agreed to meet Fogel in a parking lot in the 61300 block of South Highway 97. Officers arrested Fogel when he arrived at the scene and he was held at the Deschutes County Jail.