The Delaware County District Attorney's Office has announced that a West Grove man, Michael Ryan Boyes, has been arrested for sending sexually explicit messages to a 13-year-old girl in an attempt to lure her for sex.

Boyes, 28, was charged after an undercover investigation by the Delaware County Criminal Investigation Division Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC) and the Bethel Township Police Department. Boyes was arraigned on Feb. 12 on charges including involuntary deviate sexual assault with a person less than 16, solicitation of indecent assault on a person less than 16, solicitation to photograph a child sex act, unlawful contact with a minor, dissemination of explicit materials to a minor, and corruption of minors.

According to a release from the District Attorney's Office, on Jan. 22, detective sergeant Ben Ash of the Bethel Township Police Department contacted the Delaware County Criminal Investigation Division for help with an investigation of an online predator who was communicating with a 13-year-old girl from Bethel Township.

Detectives met with the girl's mother and discovered that the girl had been in contact with several people by using chat programs on her iPhone. She then transitioned to using her cell phone to communicate by text message. One of the people was named Michael, and she thought he was about 30 years old. The conversations she had with him showed that he was aware she was 13.

Detective Ed Pisani, posing as the girl, kept communicating with the man, identified as Boyes. The messages continued until Jan. 28, when the messages from Boyes became sexually explicit. Boyes detailed sex acts he wanted to perform with the girl. On Feb. 3, Boyes sent photographs of his genitals to the girl's phone and requested she send one of herself.

Boyes was subsequently arrested, and arraigned on Feb. 12 by Magisterial District Judge Diane Holefelder, who set bail at $100,000 cash, with conditions of no contact with minors, a psychosexual evaluation, and no internet usage. A preliminary hearing is scheduled Feb. 26.

"I would like to commend Ben Ash of Bethel Police, who handled the initial stages of the investigation, as well as Det. Pisani, Det. Bellis and Det. Hoffner for their swift action to apprehend this dangerous child predator," said Delaware County District Attorney Jack Whelan. "While the internet is a valuable learning tool for our children, it also provides a doorway for sexual predators to attempt to lure and harm children. It is imperative that as parents we continue to monitor the online and cell phone activity of our children to protect them from predators that are out there looking for victims."

To contact Staff Writer John Chambless, e-mail [email protected].