A criminal investigation by members of the Fulton County Sheriff’s Department resulted in the arrest of a Miami County resident.
Recently the Fulton County Sheriff’s Department was notified by a parent of a juvenile that an adult male was having inappropriate conversations with their daughter.
Even after the male was advised of the age of the juvenile he continued to communicated with the female in an “extremely sexual nature.”
A Fulton County detective continued the conversation impersonating the 13 year old female and on July 22nd the suspect, 29 year old Duane Wegner of Peru agreed to drive to Rochester to meet the teen in a Rochester hotel for sex.
Wegner was taken into custody in the WalMart parking lot by members of the Rochester Police Department and the Fulton County Sheriff’s Department without incident. He was lodged in the Fulton County Jail on charges of Attempted Child Molesting a level 1 felony , Child Solicitation a level 4 felony, and Dissemination of Material Harmful to a Child a level 5 felony. His bail was set at $75,000.
Fulton County Sheriff Christopher Sailors would like to remind parents that the internet is a place parents need to monitor their child’s activities. He said, “I commend this parent for recognizing the dangers of online messaging and social media and contacting our department when a problem was identified.”
Assisting the Fulton County Sheriff’s Department in the investigation were the Rochester Police Department and the Fulton County Prosecutor’s Office.
Listeners and readers are reminded that charging information supported by an affidavit of probable cause is merely an allegation that a crime has been committed and that there is only probable cause to believe a crime has been committed. They are presumed innocent throughout the proceedings and are entitled to be represented by counsel and entitled to a trial by jury at which the State is obligated to provide proof beyond a reasonable doubt before a judgment of guilt may be made.
