Jeremiah David Dean, 26, of Buckhannon, was arrested on Sunday, April 21 and charged with solicitation of a minor via computer and traveling to engage a minor, both felonies. The Braxton County Sheriff’s Department assisted by officers of the Sutton Detachment of the West Virginia State Police made the arrest.
The officers, working in conjunction with an independent organization known as Operation Juicebox, gathered information that Dean had actively solicited what he believe to be a fourteen-year-old female juvenile for sex and other illegal acts using the internet.
Deputy Andrew C. Jordan of the Braxton County Sheriff’s Department obtained Facebook messages from a chat log that indicted Dean had made arrangements with what he believed to be a juvenile to meet her in Burnsville for the purpose of engaging in sexual exploration. Deputy Jordan, Deputy Brad Williams and Trooper B.J. Wiley intercepted Dean at the Post Office parking lot in Burnsville which was the designated meeting point.
Dean was taken into custody at approximately 4:30 p.m. Sunday afternoon. A subsequent search of the Ford pickup truck he was driving revealed a backpack containing sexually related items and restraint devices.
Dean was arraigned before Braxton County Magistrate Gail Roush where his bond was set at $100,000 cash only. He was taken to the Central Regional Jail where he remains at press-time awaiting further court appearances.