LAKE CITY, Fla. — A Middleburg man is in jail after deputies say he traveled to Lake City to meet what he thought was a 14-year-old for sex.
The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office says Luke Robert Qualls, 24, was arrested Thursday, March 12, after chatting online with an undercover detective who posed as a teenager.
Investigators say Qualls talked for about a week with the detective on social media, sending explicit messages and pictures.
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According to deputies, he knew he was supposedly talking to someone underage the whole time.
When Qualls drove from Union County into Columbia County, deputies pulled him over and arrested him.
He’s now facing multiple charges, including using a computer to lure a child and sending obscene material to a minor.
The sheriff’s office is urging parents to keep an eye on their kids’ online activity.
Deputies encourage anyone who sees anything suspicious online to reach out to law enforcement.
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