St. Augustine man accused of trying to have sex with child

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — A St. Augustine man faces several charges after he was caught trying to have sex with a child, officials with the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office said.

On Nov. 27, an undercover officer started talking to Dakota Colton Lewis, 24 after posting an ad on an internet commerce site, according to the arrest report. The officer posed as a mother "trying to find a man" for her 11-year-old daughter, the report noted.

Lewis sent a text to the officer the next day, who then communicated as the daughter persona, the report said.

The text message exchange reads in part:

Lewis: What are you interested in

Undercover officer: boys lol

L: And what about them lol

UC: im a little shy to say

L: what r u interested in?

UC: Interested in making you happy and comfortable. And what you want.

After about two weeks of communication, Lewis solicited a meeting in attempt  to sexually abuse the child, according to the Sheriff's Office press release.

The arrest report noted Lewis saying he was glad his arrest was a police sting and that he "(hated) to think there was a mother out there doing this."

Lewis was arrested and booked into county jail Monday. He is charged with solicitation of a child for sex, traveling to meet a minor for sex and unlawful use of a two-way communication device.

Cox Media Group