Post by Angel on Nov 20, 2010 15:55:30 GMT -5
AYER — Police and the FBI arrested and charged a Virginia man Friday after he traveled to Littleton to meet a 12-year-old girl he had exchanged e-mails with on the Internet.
In a joint statement, Middlesex District Attorney Gerry Leone and Littleton Police Chief John Kelly said Daniel O'Brien, 32, of Virginia, was arrested Friday after the train on which was traveling arrived in Littleton. Leone and Kelly said in a press release O'Brien and the girl had made initial contact over the Internet in a chat room.
O'Brien was arraigned today in Ayer District Court on charges of attempted kidnapping and child endangerment. Ayer District Court Judge Gailey ordered him held on $50,000 cash bail and ordered him not to contact the girl. Leone's office had requested O'Brien be held on $500,000 cash bail.
Leone said in the press release O'Brien created the "predatory situation'' and offered to help the girl run away from home.
"This is a stark reminder of the type of predatory behavior aimed at vulnerable children that can occur on the Internet. Thankfully, the defendant was arrested before he was able to kidnap the victim and carry out his prurient intentions,'' Leone said.
Kelly said, "The favorable ending to this potentially tragic case is due in large part to the alert reaction of the victim's parents. They were keyed into their daughter's behavior, realized something was amiss and knew it was important to be intrusive. As a result, they went onto their computer and found e-mails outlining the arrangement for the planned meeting that would have most certainly resulted in the kidnapping of the young victim.''
Kelly said the parents contacted Littleton Police Friday after they became concerned over their daughter's behavior. They told police the girl was acting unusual that morning before school and that her backpack was filled with extra clothes and money.
After the parents dropped the girl off at school, they searched their home computer and found e-mails from a man who said he was 25 years old. The parents told police the man had written to the girl to say he planned to travel by bus from Virginia to Boston, then by train to Littleton where he would meet her to take her back to Virginia.
At approximately 2:30 p.m. on Friday, Littleton police and two FBI agents found the man at the Littleton train station and arrested him. "Once in custody, the defendant admitted that he planned on meeting the victim and return to Virginia with her,'' the DA's press release said. "He also admitted that he knew her age and that he intended to sexually assault the victim and place pictures of her in states of nudity on the Internet.''
O'Brien's next court date is Dec. 9 for a pre-trial hearing, according to the DA's office.
www.metrowestdailynews.com/homepage/x730410819/DA-Virginia-man-took-train-to-Littleton-to-meet-12-year-old-girl
In a joint statement, Middlesex District Attorney Gerry Leone and Littleton Police Chief John Kelly said Daniel O'Brien, 32, of Virginia, was arrested Friday after the train on which was traveling arrived in Littleton. Leone and Kelly said in a press release O'Brien and the girl had made initial contact over the Internet in a chat room.
O'Brien was arraigned today in Ayer District Court on charges of attempted kidnapping and child endangerment. Ayer District Court Judge Gailey ordered him held on $50,000 cash bail and ordered him not to contact the girl. Leone's office had requested O'Brien be held on $500,000 cash bail.
Leone said in the press release O'Brien created the "predatory situation'' and offered to help the girl run away from home.
"This is a stark reminder of the type of predatory behavior aimed at vulnerable children that can occur on the Internet. Thankfully, the defendant was arrested before he was able to kidnap the victim and carry out his prurient intentions,'' Leone said.
Kelly said, "The favorable ending to this potentially tragic case is due in large part to the alert reaction of the victim's parents. They were keyed into their daughter's behavior, realized something was amiss and knew it was important to be intrusive. As a result, they went onto their computer and found e-mails outlining the arrangement for the planned meeting that would have most certainly resulted in the kidnapping of the young victim.''
Kelly said the parents contacted Littleton Police Friday after they became concerned over their daughter's behavior. They told police the girl was acting unusual that morning before school and that her backpack was filled with extra clothes and money.
After the parents dropped the girl off at school, they searched their home computer and found e-mails from a man who said he was 25 years old. The parents told police the man had written to the girl to say he planned to travel by bus from Virginia to Boston, then by train to Littleton where he would meet her to take her back to Virginia.
At approximately 2:30 p.m. on Friday, Littleton police and two FBI agents found the man at the Littleton train station and arrested him. "Once in custody, the defendant admitted that he planned on meeting the victim and return to Virginia with her,'' the DA's press release said. "He also admitted that he knew her age and that he intended to sexually assault the victim and place pictures of her in states of nudity on the Internet.''
O'Brien's next court date is Dec. 9 for a pre-trial hearing, according to the DA's office.
www.metrowestdailynews.com/homepage/x730410819/DA-Virginia-man-took-train-to-Littleton-to-meet-12-year-old-girl