Metro Transit Police arrest a predator who tried to buy a child at the Aurora Village Transit Center

On the morning of Tuesday, September 22, 2020, a 43 year old male suspect spoke with a young mother and her two year old child at the Aurora Village Transit Center on N 200th and offered to buy her child for $1500. The victim declined and the suspect gave her his phone number and email address in case she changed her mind.

The mother called the King County Sheriff's Office later that day and the case was forwarded to the Metro Transit Police Street Crimes Unit for investigation. A detective identified the suspect using information the suspect provided to the child's mother.

A detective contacted the suspect, posing as the child's mother and telling him that she was only 17 years old. The suspect told the detective he was no longer interested in purchasing the child and instead wanted the 17 year old mother (really the detective) to become a prostitute and work for him.

On Tuesday evening, September 28, the suspect came to a Metro Transit Station where he thought he was to meet the 17 year old for sex. He was arrested without incident.

Once at the precinct, the suspect asked to use the phone to call a friend. He urged his friend to get to the suspect's hotel room immediately and gather all belongings. Since this indicated there was likely further evidence of criminal activity in the room, Metro police personnel responded to the hotel to secure the room.

A search warrant was obtained and the room searched. A firearm was recovered and a records check revealed the firearm was reported stolen.

The suspect was booked into King County Jail for Investigation of Commercial Sexual Abuse of a Minor (CSAM) and Promoting CSAM. Metro Street Crimes Unit continues to investigate.