Man Arrested for Allegedly Using Facebook to Arrange Sex with Minor
An undercover investigation by Hempstead County Investigators has resulted in an Ozan man being jailed for allegedly trying to convince an underage female via Facebook to meet him for sex.
Sheriff James Singleton said investigators began on January 6 into allegations that 22-year-old Adam Walker, of Ozan, AR, was using Facebook Messenger in an attempt to entice a 15-year-old female to meet him for sex.
Sheriff Singleton said officers began posing as the 15-year-old female online. The Sheriff said there were multiple conversations from Walker’s Facebook Messenger account to the undercover officers over the next several days which included multiple requests asking the officers for a sexual encounter.
According to the Sheriff, investigators identified Walker as their suspect. Walker allegedly sent a message to the undercover officers who were posing as the underage girl wanting to meet a hotel in Hope for sex.
A rendezvous was set for Valentine’s Day according to Singleton. He said the 8th North Task Force and Hempstead County Sheriff’s Office laid in wait for the suspect at the agreed hotel waiting for him to arrive to take him into custody.
Sheriff Singleton said that while waiting, a message was received indicating that the suspect was in Ashdown and would be on his way to Hope to meet what he allegedly thought to be the 15-year-old female. Task Force agents then reportedly contacted the Ashdown Police Department and gave them the location where Walker was supposed to be.
When Ashdown Police arrived at the location, they reported finding Walker sending messages from his phone to the officer posing as the 15-year-old. Ashdown Police took Walker into custody and confiscated his phone.
Sheriff Singleton said Walker was transferred to the Hempstead County Detention Center and booked on charges of internet stalking of a child, a class Y felony.
