Miami County man jailed after attempting to meet underage girl
ROCHESTER, Ind. (WLFI) – A Miami County man was arrested after authorities say he tried to have sexual relations with an underage girl.
In July, the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office was contacted by a parent concerning an adult male having inappropriate conversations with her underage daughter. The man was later identified as Duane Wegner, 29, of Peru, Indiana.
According to the sheriff’s office, Wegner continued to communicate with the girl even after learning of her age. Authorities said the messages also continued to be explicit in nature.
An investigation was opened and a detective posing as the 13-year-old girl continued discussions with Wegner on social media. He eventually agreed to meet the girl for sex at a hotel.
But on July 22, when Wegner drove to Rochester to meet the young girl, all he found was law enforcement. He was arrested without incident in the Wal-Mart parking lot by the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office and the Rochester Police Department.
Fulton County Sheriff Christopher Sailors said parents need to monitor their children’s internet activities.
“I commend this parent for recognizing the dangers of online messaging and social media and contacting our department when a problem was identified,” Sailors said in a release.
Wegner was taken to the Fulton County Jail. He faces charges of attempted child molesting, child solicitation and dissemination of material harmful to a child. His bond is set at $75,000.
