A 33-year-old Austin, Texas man is being held without bond at the Boone County Jail after Columbia police accused him of exchanging sexually explicit messages and images with a child across state lines. Michael R. Moya was booked into the jail on September 8 and appeared in Boone County court the next day for his initial arraignment hearing, according to online court documents.
The case involves sexually explicit messages between a child and Moya, according to a probable cause statement cited by KOMU 8. Investigators say Moya met the victim online after responding to an open Xbox Live chat the child had posted.
According to court documents, the explicit exchanges occurred through Xbox Live chat. The probable cause statement says Moya told the victim he was 15 years old. The probable cause statement names Moya in connection with the messages.
Charges Span Felonies and a Misdemeanor
Moya faces multiple charges, including enticement of a child, age misrepresentation with intent to solicit a minor for sexual misconduct, sexual misconduct involving a child under 15, and furnishing pornographic material to a minor.
The age misrepresentation count and the furnishing pornographic material charge are among the charges Moya faces.
The charges include enticement and age misrepresentation to solicit a minor.
Interstate Coordination Led to Arrest
Moya was charged on August 26.
Moya was booked in Boone County and is from Texas.
Moya is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on October 7 in Boone County.
Part of a Wider Pattern Locally and Nationally
Moya's case follows closely on the heels of other Boone County child solicitation prosecutions. Hoodline reported last month that 35-year-old Colton Cranford was held without bond after being accused of offering money for sex with minors at Rock Bridge Memorial State Park near Columbia. And just a day before Moya's arraignment, Hoodline reported that a 47-year-old Missouri man pleaded guilty in federal court after using social media and text messages to lure a minor across state lines for sexual contact.
The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children received more than 1.4 million CyberTipline reports regarding online child enticement in 2025, according to MissingKids.org. The initial contact in Moya's case was via an open Xbox Live chat.
It remains unclear whether federal authorities will pursue separate interstate enticement charges against Moya, whether he waived extradition from Texas, or how Boone County prosecutors intend to present digital forensic evidence from the victim's phone at the October hearing. All allegations against Moya remain unproven in court until adjudicated.
