Daniel Lee Baldie
The Benton County Sheriff’s Office in Oregon on Friday arrested a 33-year-old Clark County man for allegedly trying to lure a child online and bring her to his home in Vancouver.
Daniel Lee Baldie was arrested after driving to Corvallis to pick up the girl, who turned out to be an undercover deputy who had been conducting a two-week chat operation.
In January, an undercover Benton County Sheriff’s Office deputy, posing as a minor child, responded to an online advertisement seeking “younger girls.” During the course of the conversation that followed, Baldie offered to drive to Corvallis to meet with the child, then drive the child back to Vancouver for sex.
Baldie was arrested as he arrived in Corvallis on Friday night to pick up the child. Baldie was later held in the Benton County Jail for charges of luring a minor, online sexual corruption of a child, attempting use of a child in a display of sexually explicit content.
Following Baldie’s arrest, the Vancouver Police Department executed a search warrant at Baldie’s residence. During the search, Baldie’s wife was interviewed as a possible co-conspirator in the crime of second-degree attempted rape of a child.
Several electronic devices were seized for computer forensic examination and the couple’s three children were taken into protective custody.
Vancouver Police Department detectives will work with the Benton County District Attorney’s Office, the Clark County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon on the criminal charges.
The Benton County Sheriff’s Office encourages the public to report any suspected online enticement of children for sexual acts to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at CyberTipline.org or 1-800-843-5678.
