A 31-year-old Milton-Freewater man is facing felony charges after deputies say he sent lewd messages to a 15-year-old Weston-McEwen High School student and tried to set up a sexual encounter. School staff alerted law enforcement in early April, and investigators arranged a meeting at the time and place the teen had specified. When officers moved in, authorities say the suspect bolted but did not make it far before he was caught and booked into the Umatilla County Jail.
According to KOIN, deputies identified the suspect as Humberto Salas Torres and booked him on counts including first-degree online corruption of a child, luring a minor, resisting arrest and second-degree attempted escape. The station reports that investigators have referred the case to the Umatilla County District Attorney’s Office for review.
How Deputies Say The Arrest Unfolded
As reported by Elkhorn Media Group, deputies contacted the student on April 3 and traced the explicit messages back to an arranged meeting near Milton-Freewater. The outlet says Torres showed up near the Out West Motel, where he tried to run when officers approached. Deputies took him into custody, and Elkhorn adds that he remained in the Umatilla County Jail while prosecutors review the investigation.
Charges And What They Mean
Oregon law treats online sexual conversations that move toward an in-person meet-up as a serious crime. Online sexual corruption of a child in the first degree is a Class B felony when an adult “intentionally takes a substantial step toward physically meeting with or encountering the child,” under ORS 163.433 as compiled by Justia. Luring a minor is separately defined in ORS 167.057 as a Class C felony, according to the Oregon Legislature. Courts can, in some cases, designate those offenses as sex crimes that trigger registration requirements and additional restrictions after a conviction.
Resources And Next Steps
Officials urge anyone who receives unsolicited sexual messages, or has information tied to this case, to save the communications and contact local law enforcement or school administrators. The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children’s CyberTipline is the main U.S. reporting portal for online enticement at National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, and the FBI accepts tips at FBI. If someone is in immediate danger, call 911.
