Bend police make arrest in online luring of girls

A tip from Prineville police last month led to the arrest in Bend Wednesday of a 42-year-old Bend transient and registered sex offender, accused of trying to contact juvenile girls online through social media.

Bend police detectives received information last month regarding a registered sex offender, Benjamin John Finnestad, possibly committing crimes in Bend, Bend police Lt. Clint Burleigh said.

An examination of digital evidence and interviews confirmed Finnestad had illegally communicated with minor females online, as well as failing to register as a sex offender, Burleigh said.

Detectives arrested Finnestad Wednesday at the Bend police Department and took him to the Deschutes County Jail, where he was booked on two counts of luring a minor for sexual conduct and one count of failure to register as a sex offender. He remained held late Wednesday on $75,000 bail.

Finnestad was arraigned Thursday and is due back in court in a week for arraignment on a formal indictment. The initial charging document indicated the incidents occurred between Dec. 6 and Tuesday.

Court records show Finnestad was arrested in late 2001 in Deschutes County on several counts of sodomy and sexual abuse. He pleaded guilty to three counts and was sentenced to more than six years in prison and 10 years of post-prison supervision.

“The Bend Police Department wants to remind our community of the dangers that exist regarding youth on social media,” Burleigh said in a news release “It is important for parents to be mindful of the social media platforms their children use.”