Bend man jailed in online luring case involving ‘teen girl’ who was police officer
Second online luring arrest in Bend in past week
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – A 52-year-old Bend man was arrested Thursday, accused of sending sexually explicit photos online and arranging to meet and bring methamphetamine to a “14-year-old girl,” who actually was a Bend police officer.
On Tuesday, the officer identified the man as someone trying to contact someone he believed to be a 14-year-old girl, on a social media app, Lt. Clint Burleigh said. They had a conversation that was sexual in nature and agreed to bring the drugs to a meeting on Thursday.
Bend police detectives assisted in the investigation and located the man on Thursday near the arranged meeting location, near the intersection of Southwest Brookswood Boulevard and Lodgepole Drive.
Burleigh said the man was contacted by officers and was taken into custody without incident. He was found to possess user amounts of meth and marijuana.
The man was taken to the Deschutes County Jail and booked on charges of solicitation, first- and second-degree online sexual corruption of a child, meth and marijuana delivery to a minor, tampering with evidence and a parole violation.
"This investigation is a reminder that social media platforms are used regularly for adults to try and connect with underaged individuals," Burleigh said in a news release. "Regular observation of juvenile’s social media accounts is advised to minimize the likelihood of unwanted contacts from adults."
It's the second similar online luring incident in Bend in less than a week.
Last Friday, a registered sex offender from Prineville was arrested in downtown Bend, accused of arranging to meet, bring meth and have sex with a "14-year-old girl" who actually was a Central Oregon Drug Enforcement Team detective.
In that case, police said detectives believe Patrick James Adams might ahve been in contact with other Central Oregon juveniles on social media platforms, and asked to hear from parents and young people about any contact with him.
In the latest incident, Burleigh said there was "no information that this happened to others at this point."
