WASHINGTON — The Chelan County Sheriff’s Office has announced the arrest of a man who allegedly pretended to be a teen online and exchanged sexually explicit messages with a 14-year-old girl in another state.
The sheriff’s office was made aware of the communications on Feb. 24 by the Colorado Springs Police Department Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Unit.
The victim’s mother learned that the communication had been happening since November 2024.
The 19-year-old Washington man claimed he was a teen boy and solicited sexually explicit photos from teen girls he met on Instagram and Snapchat.
On April 8, he was arrested at home in Peshastin.
He was booked into the Chelan County Regional Justice Center for:
• Sexual Exploitation of a Minor
• Communication with a Minor for Immoral Purposes
• Possession of a Minor Engaged in Sexually Explicit Conduct
Detectives believe there were other victims.
“This case is a stark reminder of the realities of social media. The fact is, predators are actively using social media to prey on children and sexually exploit them. CCSO Detectives are committed to identifying and arresting those in our community who seek to harm or exploit children. Meanwhile, it is imperative that parents talk to their children about how to safely use social media, establish age-appropriate boundaries for cell phone and social media use, and maintain supervision of their communications,” said Det. Sergeant Lewis.
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