In a turn of events that underscores the vigilance of law enforcement's online operations, a Pipe Creek man, Matthew Louis Heimer Jr., 33, was apprehended last Friday following allegations of online sexual solicitation of a minor. As reported by KSAT, the Kerr County Sheriff’s Office confirms that Heimer engaged in sexually explicit communications with whom he believed was a 16-year-old girl, unaware that it was actually an undercover officer.
The attempt to encounter the minor led to an unexpected chase when Heimer decided to flee from authorities. The Kerr County Sheriff's Office said, "Matthew Heimer Jr., of Pipe Creek, was booked into jail - for Online Solicitation of a Minor, and Evading Arrest or Detention," in their statement obtained by FOX San Antonio. According to the same source, reaching speeds over a hundred miles an hour, the pursuit finally ended when spikes deployed by officers brought Heimer's vehicle to a halt in Pipe Creek.
Heimer now faces charges of online solicitation of a minor and evading arrest, with investigators signaling the gravity of the arrest given that a semi-automatic gun was also found in his possession at the time. The discovery amplifies concerns over what might have transpired had the meeting with the supposed minor taken place. "He also had a semi-automatic gun with him at the time of his arrest," reported the Kerr County Sheriff's Office via FOX San Antonio.
Following the incident, Heimer was taken into custody and is being held on a $60,000 bond. With the investigation still active, authorities have not ruled out the possibility of additional charges being filed. The Kerr County Sheriff’s Office notes that the planned rendezvous was set for the parking lot of a business on the 1400 block of State Highway 173, but ended after Heimer led officers on a 33-mile chase with the spikes being planted on a road in Bandera County that disabled the suspect's vehicle, as detailed by KSAT. The events furnish a stark reminder of the digital threats that lurk and the diligence required to prevent them from spilling into the physical world.
