Online sting leads to arrest of Seattle man as law enforcement ramps up predator crackdown
Aug 6, 2026, 3:35 PM
A 29-year-old Seattle man, who believed he was arranging to meet a 13-year-old girl for sex, was arrested. (Photo courtesy of the Kitsap County Sheriff's Office)
(Photo courtesy of the Kitsap County Sheriff's Office)
The Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO) said an online undercover operation has led to the arrest of a 29-year-old Seattle man who believed he was arranging to meet a 13-year-old girl for sex.
The suspect had been chatting online with a detective who was in training to conduct these kinds of investigations, according to KCSO Public Information Officer Kevin McCarty. The detective posed as a young teen and engaged in conversations designed to identify potential predators.
Seattle man was ‘very explicit’
McCarty said the man from Seattle quickly made his intentions clear.
“He was pretty explicit with her about what he wanted, that he liked young girls and that he would be able to teach her things,” McCarty said. “His conversation was very explicit, believing that he was speaking to a 13-year-old girl.”
Deputies said the suspect then attempted to arrange a meeting at the transit center in Poulsbo, which resulted in his arrest on suspicion of two counts of attempted child rape, communication with a minor for immoral purposes, and sexual exploitation of a minor.
“This is certainly no way anyone should speak to a 13-year-old girl,” McCarty added.
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Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office ramping up proactive efforts
In response to cases like this, the Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office is expanding its efforts to track down people who prey on children online. McCarty said the agency is investing in specialized training so detectives can more effectively identify and intercept suspected predators before they reach real victims.
“The Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office is putting three detectives through this kind of training, because we intend to become more proactive about this,” McCarty said.
The goal, he said, is to have detectives actively searching online spaces for adults who are targeting children, rather than waiting for reports to come in.
“Our detectives are going to be looking for people who are trying to prey on children online, and whenever possible, those people are going to be taken into custody,” McCarty said. “They’re going to face criminal charges, and they’re going to face the punishment of the law for doing these things to kids.”
Sheriff’s officials said they hope this proactive approach will both remove dangerous offenders from the community and serve as a warning to others who might consider targeting children online.
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