MERIDEN, CT — A 53-year-old man was arrested last week after police said he planned to meet with a person he believed was a 13-year-old girl to engage in "sexual activity."
The Meriden Police Department conducted an undercover investigation on Sept. 3 that targeted people "seeking to engage in sexual activity with minors."
During the investigation, police said Victor Velez Jr. communicated with an undercover officer and arranged to meet up with what he thought was a 13-year-old girl.
Police said Velez was taken into custody when he arrived at the prearranged meeting location.
Velez was arrested and charged with criminal attempt at risk of injury – sexual contact victim under 16, criminal attempt at second-degree sexual assault, and criminal attempt at commercial sexual abuse of a minor. He was held in lieu of a $750,000 bond with a court date of Sept. 17.
"The Meriden Police Department remains steadfast in its commitment to protecting the most vulnerable members of our community," police wrote in a news release. "Operations such as these are designed to identify and apprehend individuals who seek to exploit children before they have the opportunity to victimize an actual child. Protecting children and ensuring the safety of our community will continue to be a top priority. We are committed to proactively investigating crimes against children, holding offenders accountable, and working tirelessly to create a safer community for every family."
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