Man charged for attempt to solicit 15-year-old girl

BENTON - An East Prairie man is in custody for attempted solicitation of a teen-aged girl

Brian Burney, 26, is charged with the felony of misrepresentation of age with the intent to solicit a minor.

At approximately 7:20 p.m. Friday, Scott County Deputy John Caudle responded to State Highway ZZ for a report of a juvenile female attempting to run away. According to Scott County Sheriff Rick Walter the juvenile's guardian stated the 15-year-old was attempting to run away, and was in contact with a Burney on Facebook and Outlook SMS texting.

"A review of the electronic devices by Deputy Caudle revealed several inappropriate and graphically explicit messages," Walter said in a news release.

The deputy, assisted by other Scott County deputies and officers from the Sikeston Department of Public Safety located Burney near the Sikeston High School.

For more on the story see Monday's Standard Democrat.