MILLERSVILLE, Pa. — Police have charged a 22-year-old Lancaster County man with having inappropriate contact with a 13-year-old girl.
Benjamin Alexan Wallace, of Denver, was allegedly aware of the girl's age when he began a exchanging messages with her on social media, according to Millersville Borough Police. He later allegedly met the girl in February, police claim.
Wallace was attending Millersville University at the time, police said.
Authorities began investigating Wallace in February, when they received a tip from Childline, according to a criminal complaint affidavit filed by investigators. The tip reported that Wallace and the girl had met multiple times and that Wallace was sending inappropriate photos and messages to the victim via social media.
Surveillance footage at Penn Manor High School showed the girl leaving an athletic event and entering Wallace's vehicle in early February, police claim. The vehicle returned to the school about a half-hour later, and is seen dropping the girl off, according to police.
Police later interviewed the girl, who admitted she left practice at school to meet with Wallace in his vehicle. She said he kissed her on the lips, cheek and neck.
The girl said she and Wallace had been communicating on social media prior to meeting, and that she clearly stated her age to Wallace, who allegedly told her he would "go to jail" if they were caught.
After obtaining a search warrant to access Wallace's social media accounts, police found text conversations between Wallace and the girl that referred to their meeting. There were also messages referring to an explicit photo of Wallace he allegedly sent the girl, police said.
Police spoke to the girl again on April 10, when she allegedly admitted that Wallace had sent her an inappropriate, according to the complaint.
Wallace is charged with involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a person less than 16, disseminating explicit sexual material with a minor, indecent assault of a person less than 16 years of age, unlawful contact with a minor, and corruption of minors.
