A Greenacres man was apprehended by Boynton Beach Police after he allegedly attempted to engage in sexual activity with someone he believed was a 13-year-old girl. Robin Blanchard, 45, was caught in an undercover sting operation conducted by the Boynton Beach Police Department (BBPD) after he initiated contact with an undercover detective posing as a young girl on Kik messenger app last Wednesday.
According to a report from CBS12, Blanchard inquired about the age, sex, and location of the detective shortly after first contact, and upon learning her supposed age, he continued to solicit sex and exchange explicit photos. In conversations over the course of two days, Blanchard acknowledged the detective's age multiple times, even disclosing that he had previously been in trouble for meeting with a 14-year-old.
The sting operation culminated last Friday, when Blanchard directed the detective to meet him by the pool of a Boynton Beach hotel to avoid being seen together and to proceed to a hotel room for sexual purposes. Instagram post by BBPD detailed how around 5 p.m. Blanchard arrived at the specified location, where he was promptly taken into custody by BBPD officers.
During the arrest, Blanchard confirmed his intentions to meet the 13-year-old for sex, having initiated the online interaction and exchanged explicit material. He now faces multiple charges, including Traveling to Meet a Minor for Sex, Transmission of Material Harmful to Minors, Unlawful Use of a Two-Way Communications Device and, Solicitation of a Minor to Engage in Sexual Conduct. He is currently being held at the Palm Beach County Jail. The successful sting was a collaborative effort between the BBPD Special Victims Unit, Property Crimes Unit, and the Community Response Team as reported by Instagram.
