A man allegedly traveled by bus from North Carolina to Portsmouth, Ohio, with the intention of meeting an underage girl who had run away with him, according to authorities.
An 18-year-old individual named Braceon Madison from Laurinburg, N.C., has been charged with eight counts of pandering sexually oriented matter involving a minor, as stated in a news release by the Scioto County Sheriff’s Office. The incident took place earlier this week.
On Monday, deputies received a report about a runaway underage girl who had been in contact with a man, who was later identified as Madison.
Deputies received another call on Wednesday after the girl and Madison were seen together at a fast food restaurant in Wheelersburg, Ohio.
After the incident, the girl was promptly taken to a nearby hospital for evaluation. However, the deputies determined that there was no sufficient evidence to arrest Madison at that time, so he was subsequently released.
The sheriff’s office received another call after a man arrived at the hospital, asking to see the girl. Detectives promptly responded and observed Madison leaving the hospital, leading to his apprehension.
Madison and the girl connected on Facebook on Christmas Eve and stayed in touch until he traveled from North Carolina to Portsmouth by bus. He then managed to get a ride to the girl’s house and was discreetly brought into the residence.
They eventually fled on foot and sought refuge in a building on Ohio River Road for several nights before authorities located them on Wednesday, according to the news release.
Madison faces a $250,000 bond while being held in custody. The sheriff’s office anticipates additional charges as the investigation progresses.