Sheriff: Man Charged After Being Found In Vehicle With Teen

The Seneca County Sheriff’s Office says it arrested a man who was found in a parked vehicle with a child in the middle of the night.

The Seneca County Sheriff’s Office says a deputy was patrolling in the village of New Riegel at around 12:25 Tuesday morning when they came across a parked vehicle in a parking lot on North Perry Street.

Upon approaching the vehicle, the deputy discovered two people inside the vehicle. The operator of the vehicle was found to be Victor Franklin West, 40, of Oregon, Ohio, and the passenger was a 14-year-old juvenile.

Investigating further, deputies discovered the two met on a social media app and met up with one another in the parking lot.

The Seneca County Sheriff’s Office said West was arrested for Contributing to the Delinquency of a Juvenile and Unlawful Sexual Conduct with a Minor. The juvenile was also charged with Delinquency.

The sheriff’s office said detectives are looking further into the case and it is presently considered an ongoing investigation.

“Due to the nature of the online world, young people can easily place a stronger emotional connection with online-only relationships at the expense of friends and family that they know in real life,” said Seneca County Sheriff Fred Stevens.

“Not everyone children meet online will have the right intentions, so it’s important to discuss the risk surrounding online dating such as online grooming and also what signs to look out for to avoid putting themselves in unsafe situations.”