Springfield police have arrested and charged a New Jersey man with child enticement in connection with an attempted meet-up with a local girl under the age of 16, according to police.
Perth Amboy resident Brayan Torres-Tapia, 30, is accused of having conversations with the victim on Quora — a website on which people post and answer questions — and then trying to take her and a friend to a local hotel, police said in a Friday press release.
On March 1, Springfield school resources officers informed detectives of online communications between the victim and a man — who was later identified as Torres-Tapia — that detailed the planned meet-up, police said. Around 12:30 p.m. that day, officers located a suspect matching the man’s description and arrested Torres-Tapia on Main Street where the meet-up was supposed to happen.
“The Springfield Police Department is urging parents to monitor their children’s online activity and speak to them about the dangers of talking to strangers online,” the department wrote in the release.
Records from the U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) indicate that Torres-Tapia may not be a legal U.S. resident, police said. He told officers he was born in Ecuador.
Following his arraignment in Springfield District Court, Torres-Tapia posted $25,000 cash bail, police said. He is due back in court on April 18.
The investigation into Torres-Tapia is ongoing, police said. Quora did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday morning.
