Tennessee man, 21, arrested on child sex charge after attempting to enroll as MCC student

Tennessee man, 21, arrested on child sex charge after attempting to enroll as MCC student

‘He had allegedly met an MCC student online in an effort to engage in a relationship with that student.’

SCOTTVILLE —A 21-year-old Fort Campbell, Tennessee man was arrested on multiple charges Tuesday, Feb. 13, after attempting to enroll as a Mason County Central student, said Mason County Sheriff Kim Cole.

The suspect was arrested at the scene, and the Mason County Sheriff’s Office is seeking charges of possession of child sexually abusive material, contributing to the delinquency of a minor and furnishing false information to a law enforcement officer.

“On Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2024 at 2:32 p.m., a Mason County Central School employee became suspicious of a male who was attempting to enroll at the MCC school,” said Sheriff Cole. “The employee alerted Deputy Luke Postma, the Mason County School resource deputy assigned to school, who immediately made contact with the male and started an investigation. Through the investigation, it was discovered the suspect, a 21-year-old male from Fort Campbell, Tennessee, had allegedly attempted to enroll at MCC as a 17 year old. Deputies were reportedly provided various names and dates of birth before learning the suspect’s true name and age. He had allegedly met an MCC student online in an effort to engage in a relationship with that student.

The suspect flew from Tennessee to Grand Rapids and then found transportation to Mason County where he met the victim.

“Although I wished this series of events never unfolded, I couldn’t be more proud of the MCC employees, Deputy Postma, and our detectives. Sadly, situations like this are playing out every day, where adults are preying upon our children.

“Once again, I would strongly encourage parents to have conversations with their children about the dangers of online chatting and the sharing of information over the internet or social media platforms,” said the sheriff. “Protocols were followed from the start, which made for a thorough investigation by both the school and sheriff’s office.”

The case has been turned over to the Mason County Prosecutor’s Office for review and the filing of appropriate charges. More information will be released when it’s available.

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