RUNNELS COUNTY, Texas — An Abilene man is facing attempted aggravated kidnapping and online solicitation of a minor charges after a family friend saw him meeting with a 12-year-old at a Winters park and alerted family members.
The Winters Police Department said the 12-year-old minor “met” Ernest Martinez Jr. on social media and they had frequent contact on the social media account and via text messages.
The minor agreed to meet with Martinez at a park inside the Winters city limits. While they were at the park, a family friend saw the child and called family members, knowing it did not seem right, WPD said. Once a family member got to the park, Martinez left the scene.
WPD was able to positively identify Martinez and discovered he was from Abilene. Warrants were requested and granted.
The Texas Department of Public Safety CID in Abilene was able to find and arrest Martinez. He was booked into the Taylor County Jail with bonds of $150,000 for each charge.
WPD said the minor was not harmed.
