Police Arrest California Man for Luring 13-year-old to Los Angeles

The 13-year-old eighth grader was taken into protective custody as she was ready to board the plane.

Salem-News.com

(PORTLAND, Ore.) - In December, Detectives from the Interagency Child Exploitation Team known as INTERCEPT, say they received information that a young girl was planning on meeting a man in California after talking with him online.

Prior to the girl leaving, detectives had the man arrested at the Ontario Airport in California and the young girl was detained at the Portland Airport.

Sgt. Vance Stimler with the Washington County Sheriff's Office, says that on December 30th 2008, members from INTERCEPT with the assistance of the Port of Portland Police, took a 13-year-old Washington County girl into Protective custody while she was waiting to board a plane for Ontario, California.

The girl was later returned home to her mother and was not charged with any crimes.

Stimler says several hours later, members of the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Crimes Against Children Detail arrested 20-year-old Hsiang "Shawn" Pan of San Diego, California, for "Communicating with a Minor with the Intent to Sexually Assault", a California criminal charge.

INTERCEPT detectives say the case developed after they received information that Mr. Pan had purchased a plane ticket for the 13-year-old girl.

At the time, they didn't know Mr. Pan's identity, and detectives knew they had a short amount of time before the girl was scheduled to depart for California.

Stimler says detectives quickly determined Mr. Pan's identity and were able to alert the Sheriff's Office in San Bernardino. Detectives then alerted the Port of Portland Police to be on the lookout for the girl.

Southwest Airlines staff held the flight until the girl was located. The girl was quickly identified as she entered the airport.

Detectives wanted to take Mr. Pan into custody, but under California law it was crucial that he take the step of traveling to the airport to pick up the girl.

Surveilling detectives allowed the girl to sit at the gate unaware of their presence, in the event there was further communication with the suspect.

The 13-year-old eighth grader was taken into protective custody as she was ready to board the plane. Mr. Pan was arrested at the Ontario Airport.

Pan had obtained a nearby motel room and had condoms and alcohol in his possession. He admitted that he was planning to have sex with the girl. INTERCEPT Detectives said Pan had befriended the girl online months before this occurred, and they had regular communications on Myspace and Facebook.