A man was arrested on multiple charges in Henry County after allegedly using social media to lure a teenager to a secluded area and assaulting her, authorities said.
Investigators with the Henry County Sheriff’s Office arrested Trenton Carmichael, 21, on Friday, nearly one month after the alleged rape March 15. According to the sheriff’s office, Carmichael posed as an 18-year-old on social media and arranged to meet with the victim, described as a young girl, at a wooded area near a lake.
Carmichael is accused of purchasing a Lyft ride for the girl, a sheriff’s spokesperson said in a news release.
“Upon arrival, the teenage girl reportedly attempted to leave after realizing that Carmichael was older than he claimed,” the spokesperson said. “At that point, Carmichael reportedly forcibly raped her.”
Carmichael is facing charges of rape, aggravated sodomy and aggravated assault. Investigators said they are also looking into his ties to a previous incident of a similar nature.
As a father, Henry County Sheriff Reginald Scandrett said “situations of this magnitude break your heart.”
“I can’t urge parents enough to monitor online activity and educate their children about the dangers of social media and predators,” the sheriff said in a statement.
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