Collier County man facing charges for luring child online

NAPLES, Fla. – A Collier County man was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of luring a minor to perform sexual acts, the Collier County Sheriff’s Office said.

Lelan Beachy, 37, of 9084 Gervais Circle, was arrested at the Wal-Mart on 5420 Juliet Blvd. after deputies said his relationship began in online messages dating as far back as May.

He used mobile devices to communicate with the victim, whose name and age were redacted from reports, according to the sheriff’s office. Those devices were seized by deputies in October, reports show. The victim’s parents also turned over her phone and tablets, the sheriff’s office said.

It took a detective nearly a month to get through information on Beachy’s and the victim’s devices. Nine nude photos believed to be of the victim were recovered. Beachy also searched for disturbing images on his phone’s internet browser, deputies said.

In an early December interview at her school, the victim admitted to detectives that she had been involved with Beachy and visited his home where he lived with his ex-wife, reports show. Facebook messages also suggest that Beachy had been to her home while her parents were asleep.

It is believed that Beachy first reached out to the victim on the Kik app via the usernames Hypnotic197936 and Cute Puppy. The two of them also exchanged messages via text message and on Facebook.

Beachy is facing charges for the possession of obscene material involving sexual performance by a child, promoting sexual performance by a child, and obscene computer use to seduce, solicit or lure a child.

A judge set Beachy’s bond at $60,000.

Beachy was arrested in October in connection to the sexual battery of a 16- or 17-year-old victim, arrest records show.