A 45-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly attempting to meet a 13-year-old girl for sex. The Shasta County Sheriff’s Office reports that it received information about an adult male trying to arrange a meeting with an underage female for sex.

An undercover decoy had been posing as a 13-year-old girl online. The decoy had been chatting with a 45-year-old man who SCSO has identified as Austin Forrest of Redding. Authorities allege that Forrest began sending explicit messages to the decoy via text messages.

Deputies say Forrest had been messaging the decoy in an attempt to meet her for sexual purposes. He allegedly arranged for the decoy to travel on a bus from Arcata to Redding on July 10, 2024.

On July 10, SCSO deputies, AB109/SAFE Team, Interagency Narcotic Task Force, and Anderson Police Department apprehended Forrest at his residence. During an interview, SCSO says Forrest admitted to sending harmful material to the minor and arranging to meet her for lewd purposes.

Forrest was booked into the Shasta County Jail for Sending Harmful Material to a Minor, Arranging to Meet with a Minor for Lewd Purposes, and Communicating with a Minor with Lewd Intent.