Shasta County authorities have announced the arrest of an individual for the alleged solicitation of a minor.
In a press release, the Sheriff’s Office revealed that they had received information regarding a 45-year-old man allegedly attempting to arrange sex with an underage girl.
The Sheriff’s Office reported that an “underage decoy” had been posing as a 13-year-old girl online, and had been chatting with an adult male who had allegedly been sending explicit messages.
The male suspect also allegedly arranged for the decoy to take a bus from Arcata to Redding on July 10, the Sheriff’s Office said.
On July 10, officials with the Sheriff’s Office served a search and arrest warrant at the suspect’s home. The Sheriff’s Office identified the suspect as Austin Forrest of Redding.
Forrest was taken into custody, and later admitted to the allegations during questioning, the Sheriff’s Office said.
Forrest was ultimately booked at the Shasta County jail on suspicion of sending harmful material to a minor, arranging to meet with a minor for lewd purposes, and communicating with a minor with lewd intent.
