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19 March 2024

Attempted encounter with minor: 1 held

Court will issue verdict on June 29. (Reuters)

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By Correspondent

Colombo - A Sri Lankan, aged 23, who attempted a sexual encounter with an underage girl through Craigslist in USA, has been charged on Wednesday, ‘Daily Mirror’ reported.

The suspect, Shabeeb Ahamed Mohamed Shaheed, was charged with one count of traveling to meet a minor, one count of using a computer for solicitation of a minor and one count of attempted lewd or lascivious battery.

Yvonne Martinez, Palm Bay police spokeswoman said that he had traveled in hope of having a sexual encounter with an underage girl he met through Craigslist, by taxi to Starbucks on Palm Bay Road.

The “girl”, who had been repeatedly emailed and texted, was an undercover detective with the department’s Special Victims Unit. Instead, police officers arrested Shaheed.

Shaheed remains incarcerated at the Brevard County Jail Complex, and his bond was set at $85,000.

"Mr. Shaheed thought he was talking to a girl under the age of 16 and in his communications with her he validated several times that he knew her age," Det. Ursula Cowan stated in a press release.

"He was very specific with what he wanted to do with her, and based on the evidence we gathered we were able to support probable cause for these charges," Cowan stated.