An Auburn teen is safe after detectives arrested a 35-year-old man for allegedly trying to persuade her to meet him at a hotel for sex.

Placer County Sheriff’s detectives arrested Michael Anthony Nielsen of Olivehurst Wednesday for attempting to seduce a 15-year-old Auburn girl by sending harmful matter via text messages.

Nielsen had been sending text messages and photos to the 15-year-old girl in an attempt to persuade her to meet him for sex, according to Lt. Jeff Ausnow, Placer Sheriff’s spokesman. The minor’s parent found the messages on the child’s phone and alerted deputies.

Nielsen reportedly continued to send explicit text messages to the child’s phone in an attempt to arrange a meeting for sex.

Detectives, posing as the child, arranged to meet with Nielsen Wednesday evening at a hotel in the Marysville area. Nielsen arrived at the hotel at the arranged time and attempted to greet a female deputy that he believed was the teenage child. He was arrested without incident.

Nielsen is not a registered a sex offender. He was booked at the Placer County Jail for sending harmful materials to a minor with intent to seduce. Bail has been set at $10,000, however, the case is still under investigation and Nielsen may face additional charges, according to Ausnow.

The circumstance of how Nielsen and the minor began communicating is still under investigation.

However, this case underscores the importance of parents being aware of their children’s activities both on the Internet and modern text- and photo-capable cell phones. Many predators also use popular social networking sites to target, communicate with and obtain personal information about potential victims. This child’s parent caught the texting activity early on and prevented a bad situation from becoming a parent’s worst nightmare, Ausnow said.

~ Staff report