Washington man charged with attempted child sexual abuse
COEUR d’ALENE — A Washington man is in jail after police said he sent explicit messages and made plans to meet someone he believed to be a teen girl but who was really an undercover police officer.
Andrew P. Hanson, 60, of Deer Meadows, Wash., is charged with enticing children through the use of the internet or other communication devices and attempted sexual abuse of a minor, both felonies.
The charges stem from September when a Coeur d’Alene woman reported to police her concerns about a man who had contacted her via Facebook.
The woman told police she had posted on Facebook Marketplace about a toy desk she wanted to sell. Included in the post was a photo of her 14-year-old daughter holding the desk. The woman received a message from Hanson, who allegedly complimented her looks.
In the ensuing conversation, the woman posed as a 15-year-old girl. Hanson told the purported girl that he was “looking for a girlfriend,” expressed interest in dating her mother, requested photos of her and provided his cellphone number so the pair could text, according to court records.
After the woman contacted law enforcement, a police officer took over messaging Hanson, using a different cellphone.
Hanson sent explicit photos and videos of himself to the undercover officer, according to court records, and had sexually explicit conversations with a person he believed to be a 15-year-old girl. Hanson repeatedly asked the purported girl to delete their messages, police said.
In October, Hanson suggested the two meet in person for sex, court records say. He allegedly made plans to meet the purported girl Monday in Coeur d’Alene, near Lake City High School.
While Hanson neared the meetup location, police observed him from unmarked vehicles and made contact with him in a parking lot near the high school. Police arrested him there.
When interviewed by police, Hanson initially said he did not know the age of the person he had been messaging and suggested he thought he was messaging an elderly or middle-aged woman, court records say. He admitted to sending nude photos and videos, according to court records.
A judge ordered that Hanson be held on $50,000 bail.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence or sexual abuse, reach Safe Passage 24/7 by calling 208-664-9303 or texting 208-449-7228.