Cabool man faces federal charges on charges he enticed a 14-year-old girl to engage in illicit sex, U.S. Attorney Tammy Dickinson said.
Scott Dwayne Baker, 45, of Cabool, was charged Wednesday in a federal criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Springfield.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, a Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper received a report on Saturday, Feb. 2, that a 14-year-old minor had received numerous text messages of a sexual nature from Baker who was aware of the minor’s age, the affidavit says. The trooper assumed the identity of the child victim and began communicating with Baker via cell phone text messages. During one text session, the affidavit says, Baker sent a pornographic image of himself to the child victim.
On Sunday, Feb. 3, the undercover officer continued a lengthy text message conversation with Baker during the Super Bowl. Baker sent explicitly sexual messages during this exchange, according to the affidavit. When the undercover officer informed him that the child victim was planning to skip school, the affidavit says, Baker replied by asking for her to skip school another day instead, because he would be off work and they could meet at her house while she was at home alone. Baker was asked to bring a Dr. Pepper and a candy bar for the child victim.
When Baker arrived at the child victim’s residence at approximately noon Monday, Feb. 4, bringing the Dr. Pepper and candy bar, he was arrested by officers of the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
Dickinson said the case is being prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael S. Oliver. It was investigated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force and the FBI, she said.
—–
Earlier:Â Following collaborative work involving four law enforcement agencies, a Cabool man is in jail and faces multiple charges related to unlawful sexual actions.
Texas County Sheriff James Sigman said Scott D. Baker, 45, was arrested Monday and charged with felony enticement of a child and misdemeanor furnishing of pornographic materials to a minor.
Sigman said the TCSD, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Cabool Police Department and Missouri Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force conducted a joint investigation after receiving information that Baker was communicating with an underage female.
The investigation revealed Baker was having illegal wireless conversations and providing pornographic pictures to the juvenile, the sheriff said.
Baker is being held at the Texas County Jail on $1 million bond.