Redmond man accused of trying to lure teen girl

A 35-year-old Redmond man was arrested at Bend’s Sawyer Park last Friday afternoon, accused of trying to meet and have sex with a 15-year-old girl he’d sought to swap nude photos with online. Detectives who had stepped in and posed as the teen in text messages set up the meeting, where officers were waiting to take him into custody.

Shortly before 7 p.m. last Thursday, police were called to the Burger King on Odem Medo Road in Redmond and made aware of a potential luring case involving Matthew Taylor Smith and a 15-year-old juvenile victim, said Lt. Mike Kidwell. Other details about the alleged victim were not released.

Investigating officers and detectives posing as the victim developed information through text message exchanges that Smith was trying to exchange nude photos with the teen and set up a meeting “for purposes of sexual contact,” Kidwell said in a news release.

Detectives posing as the teen were able to set up a meeting with Smith at Sawyer Park, on O.B. Riley Road in Bend, late Friday afternoon, Kidwell said. Smith drove to the park, got out of his vehicle and walked to the agreed-upon location for the meeting.

At that point, he was taken into custody without incident and taken to the Deschutes County Jail, where he was booked on charges of luring a minor, second-degree attempted sex abuse and contributing to the sexual delinquency of a minor.

Jail officers said he was booked shortly before 5 p.m. and released around 8:40 p.m. after posting 10 percent of his $17,500 bail.

Anyone with information about the incident or other similar incidents involving Smith was asked to contact the Redmond Police Department’s investigation unit at 541-504-3400.

Kidwell said Redmond Police also “would like to remind parents to be aware of any suspicious phone or text messages received on their children’s phones from adults.”

“If you do notice suspicious phone calls or text requests, please report those to your local police department,” the lieutenant added.