A Kansas man is in the Baxter County Detention Center after allegedly coming to Baxter County in an attempt to meet with an underage girl. Thirty-one-year-old Andrew O’Brien of Junction City was arrested early Saturday morning on felony counts of engaging in sexually explicit conduct for use in visual or print medium and contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile, and he’s being held in lieu of $50,000 bond.
Sheriff John Montgomery says his office received a complaint that morning of a male driving to Mountain Home to clandestinely meet a 16-year-old girl he had reportedly been communicating with on social media. The teen had allegedly sent sexually-explicit photos and videos to the man at his request, and he had arranged to meet her at a business parking lot near the teen’s residence on Arkansas Highway 5 south of Mountain Home.
A deputy set up surveillance at the location, and at 12:47, he observed a vehicle drive past the area twice before pulling in and parking. The male then allegedly sent a text message to the teen saying he was nearby and walked from his vehicle along State Highway 5 past the teen’s residence to the meeting location. The male went behind the building and was later approached by the deputy. The subject was identified as O’Brien and was taken into custody following a brief exchange.
O’Brien is scheduled to appear Thursday in Baxter County Circuit Court. He was determined to be on active military duty stationed in Fort Riley, Kansas. The base was contacted regarding the alleged incident, and the military police have also placed a detainer on O’Brien.
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