San Mateo Man Arrested for Allegedly Trying to Meet Minor for Lewd Purposes
Photo: Stock / Unsplash
A San Mateo man has reportedly been arrested for allegedly attempting to meet with a minor for lewd purposes.
According to a press release by the San Mateo Police Department, officers recently arrested 35-year-old Richard Smith, a local resident, after investigating a report of an adult male engaging in sexual conversations with a minor.
As part of the investigation, detectives went undercover by posing as a 14-year-old girl and engaging in communication with Smith. Smith allegedly sent explicit messages and photos to the detectives, and allegedly agreed to meet at a park to engage in sexual activity despite being told directly that the person he was communicating with was “14 years old.”
Meanwhile, detectives authored search warrants for Smith and his home, car, and electronic devices.
On May 16, Smith allegedly agreed to meet the person he believed to be a 14-year-old girl at Laurie Meadows Park to engage in sexual activity. When Smith arrived at the park and approached an undercover officer, Smith was arrested without incident.
Detectives also searched Smith’s home and car and collected various items as evidence.
Smith was taken to the San Mateo County jail and booked on suspicion of contacting a minor to commit a felony and arranging a meeting with a minor for lewd purposes.
Per the press release, the San Mateo Police Department strongly encourages parents to have open conversations with their teenage children about appropriate social media usage. “Remind them that their social media safety is directly related to the personal information they share,” police said.
The Department recommended additional measures for keeping children and teens safe online, including strong privacy settings, advising them to be selective about friend requests, advising them to never agree to meet anyone in person that they first met online, and to occasionally review their social media
“Most importantly, parents should remind children that ‘what goes on the internet, stays on the internet,'” police said.
