Social Media Interaction In Stafford Leads To Felony Charge: Warrant

STAFFORD, CT — A Stafford man is facing a felony charge after being accused of sending inappropriate message to an underage girl via a social media platform, state police said.

The case dates back to Feb. 28, when a Stafford officer received a complaint about a 13-year-old girl receiving "inappropriate" messages on the social platform Snapchat.

According an arrest warrant out of Rockville Superior Court, the messages were sent by 37-year-old Michael Church, of Stafford. The images were of male body parts and supplemented by inappropriate dialogue, according to a warrant.

The girl was known to Church via mutual community interaction, according to a warrant.

Church told state police the image and texts were sent to the girl by mistake because he was having a conversation with an adult at the time.

An analysis of Church's also showed messages involving "small talk" to the girl, according to a warrant.

Church was charged by state police with felony risk of injury to a child. He posted a $75,000 bond during a May 2 court appearance, the same day he was served a warrant. He is due back before a judge on May 29, judicial system records show.