Sex offender uses Xbox to find victims

AUBURN, Wash. — A level three sex offender is at the King County Regional Justice Center after Auburn police say he went on the prowl for a new child.

This time, they say 22-year-old Brennon Cloud tried to recruit a teenaged boy to help him find his next victim.

Cloud had previously been convicted of rape and attempted rape of two young girls.  Authorities decided he was at a high risk to reoffend, so they made him a Level 3, the the most serious category of sex offender.  When he was released and went to live in Lynden, Cloud's picture, name and street were publicly listed on the website for the Whatcom County Sheriff's Office.

But police say he was gunning for another community, more than 125 miles away, where people had no idea about him.

The rest of these details are according to court documents:  Cloud started playing Xbox, where gamers can join the same game remotely.  He met a 14-year-old boy.  The two played games together -- Cloud from Lynden and the boy from Auburn -- and they used the chat function to message each other.  Then, Cloud convinced the boy to talk on the phone instead.  The boy's parents grew suspicious and asked police to check into this person who was communicating with their son.

Investigators traced back the phone number and found out it was Cloud.  They also found out about his Level 3 status.  They assumed communication with Cloud, by texting him, using the boy's phone.  Cloud didn't know he was communicating with police and asked if who he thought was the 14-year-old boy could hook him up with some young girls.  One of those "young girls" was a police officer who pretended to be a 15-year-old cheerleader named Stayc.  Cloud sent very explicit messages and pictures to "Stayc," outlining the graphic sexual things he wanted to do.

He thought Stayc was going to be in Bellingham for a cheerleading competition, and he said that's when they could meet.  He showed up at a Haagen's grocery store where he thought Stayc would be waiting.  Instead, it was a detective.

It turns out Cloud was also allegedly communicating with who he thought was a 16-year-old girl, but that time it was a Seattle detective. So, now Cloud faces two charges of communicating with a minor for immoral purposes.

KIRO