A man was arrested after officers said he drove to Forsyth County to meet a minor he had been communicating with online.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
Forsyth County deputies said it happened last week. According to authorities, Giovanni Moran, 31, began chatting with a minor online. Delegates said the conversations moved from “simple youth conversations” to other things.
According to Forsyth County officials, the child and Moran had been talking for months before the interactions led to the suspect convincing the child to leave the house with him.
TRENDING STORIES:
Within hours of receiving the report, Forsyth detectives identified Moran and knew he had traveled to Forsyth County and then returned to Osceola County near Orlando, Florida.
Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), and the FBI offices in Orlando and Gainesville began searching for Moran.
He was arrested and the child was rescued. The child’s age was not released.
“Don’t mess with our elders or children, we will track you down,” the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office said.
Moran is charged with interstate interference with custody, but additional charges are pending in Forsyth County and Orlando. He is being held in the Osceola County Jail without bond. He will be extradited to Georgia.
[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
The FCSO has shared some ways to keep your teens safe online:
-
Keep an eye on what your children do online and what sites they visit.
-
Search and view what and with whom your child corresponds online.
-
Set boundaries and warn of dangers. Limits should be age appropriate and determine which programs they can use.
-
Keep the lines of communication open. Let them know that they can contact you with any questions or concerns they may have encountered online.
