Tennessee man, 21, arrested after trying to enroll at Michigan high school to date a student

CBS News Detroit Digital Brief for Feb. 16, 2024

(CBS DETROIT) - A 21-year-old Tennessee man has been arrested after he tried to enroll himself in a West Michigan school to date a student he allegedly met online.

The suspect, whose name was not released, was arrested for possession of child sexually abusive material, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, and furnishing false information to a law enforcement officer.

The Mason County Sheriff's Office said it was alerted by a Mason County Central School employee who became suspicious about enrollment.

Through an investigation, authorities learned the man from Fort Campbell, Tennessee, allegedly attempted to enroll as a 17-year-old to pursue a relationship with a student. The suspect even flew to Grand Rapids to meet the student.

"Although I wished the series of events never unfolded, I couldn't be more proud of the MCC employees, Deputy Postma, and our detectives. Sadly, situations like this are playing out every day, where adults are preying upon our children," Sheriff Kim Cole said in a statement. "Once again, I would strongly encourage parents to have conversations with their children about the dangers of online chatting and the sharing of information over the internet or social media platforms."

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