GLOUCESTER – A 30-year old man is behind bars after deputies say he exchanged sexual text messages with a 12-year old. 13News has learned the suspect is a former police officer.
According to police, Clayton Lawrence went to a church off Highway 17 last Friday to meet whom he thought was a 12-year old girl for sex.
Lawrence worked for the Hampton Police Division from July 2006 to December 2007 when he resigned, according to Corporal Jason Price.
Gloucester County sheriff's deputies say Lawrence did not seek out the girl at first. About a week ago, he allegedly got a random text.
"She actually, accidentally texted him thinking she was texting somebody else,” explained Major Darrell Warren.
Police say the girl and Lawrence texted for three days and at some point the conversation turned sexual. The suspect allegedly sent her a sexually explicit picture of himself and asked her to do the same.
The girl’s parents found the inappropriate messages and called police on Thursday.
What police find even more disturbing about the ordeal is that Lawrence brought his 12-month old daughter with him to meet the girl.
“You think you’ve seen it all when something else happens and you learn otherwise,” commented Warren.
Authorities went undercover with the help of the Southern Virginia Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
“Our investigator who was heading the case re-initiated contact with him the following day using the victim’s cell phone and reconfirmed that information that he knew he was in fact talking to a 12-year old,” Warren added.
Police arrested Lawrence and Social Services took the baby until she could be re-connected with family.
One of Lawrence’s neighbors told 13News he appears to be a good father.
“No it doesn’t sound like him at all,” said Jennifer Brown. “That’s not the type of person he is. He’s got a daughter, so I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t do stuff like that.
Lawrence is being held in jail without bond.
