According to a release by the Randolph County Sheriff’s Department, Charles Andrew Eldridge was incarcerated just after midnight Tuesday on two counts of child molestation and one count each of attempted child molestation and child solicitation, all felony charges.
The investigation into Eldridge began after he started communicating on social media with a 13-year-old girl who was actually an undercover Randolph County detective.
Eldridge agreed to meet with the “13 year old female” and engage in sexual acts, but was instead arrested by several police officers when he arrived at the location in Union City.
After he was transported to jail, during an interview Eldridge admitted to also engaging in sexual acts with a different child younger than 13 on multiple occasions, the release stated.
“This case shows a great example of why our investigators engage in this type of proactive policing. By conducting this online sting operation, our investigators were able to uncover an unreported molestation case that had already occurred,” said Capt. Tom Pullins with the Randolph County Sheriff’s Department.
Eldridge is being held in Randolph County Jail without bond, pending an initial court appearance.
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