LARGO, Fla. – A 26-year-old man has been arrested after police say he traveled to meet a minor who had run away from home.
According to police, in June 2023, Largo Police Officers responded to a call for service involving a fourteen-year-old runaway.
Officers learned the teenager ran away after her parents discovered she was secretly talking to an adult male via Snapchat.
During the investigation, Largo Police learned that the man picked the girl up on at least one occasion and taken her to his residence. Several days later, the man again picked up the victim, this time posing as the father of one of the victim’s friends, where he met the victim’s mother.
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During this interaction, police say the man then portrayed himself to be the parent of one of her juvenile friends and advised the mother he was taking the victim to play with his daughter at his residence.
Detectives used extensive investigative resources and were ultimately able to positively identify 26-year-old, registered sexual offender, Austin Powers as the subject who picked up the victim and talked with her via Snapchat.
Powers had been previously arrested by the Plant City Police Department for a similar incident in 2016.
Powers was arrested on September 13, 2023 and charged with Traveling to Meet a Minor and Lewd and Lascivious Molestation, police say.
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