AUBURN HILLS (WWJ) -- A missing 14-year-girl from Pontiac was found at an Oakland County campsite with an Illinois man who is now facing child porn charges.
Damien Alexander Newman, 27, was arrested early Saturday morning after he was seen emerging from a picnic area at Hawk Woods Park and Campground on Bald Mountain Road in Auburn Hills, said officials.
Oakland County deputies tracked the girl to the campground where they noticed a white van backed into a parking spot. As they approached the van, they saw the missing girl and Newman.
According to the Oakland County Sheriff's Office, the girl reportedly ran away from home just hours before.
The teen was being supervised by another person while her mother was out of town. When she left the home, a 911 call was placed, said officials.
Authorities detained Newman -- who had a large fixed-blade knife concealed on him.
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Newman told officials he was from Illinois and had met the girl about a year ago on Snapchat.
He said this was their first face-to-face meeting. Deputies confiscated cell phones from Newman and the girl as evidence.
Detectives from the Sheriff’s Office Computer Crimes Unit found child pornography and other sexually explicit material on Newman’s cell phone.
“It is disgusting and tragic that there are individuals who seek to perpetrate or share sexual violation of children,” Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said. “Through good detective work, this individual was caught and will be held to account.”
He was charged on Wednesday with possession of child sexually abusive material, two counts of using a computer to commit a crime and distributing sexually explicit, visual or verbal material to children.
Officials say the computer charges are the most serious and carry up to seven years in prison upon conviction.
Newman, who is from Galva, Ill., is being held without bond since he's considered a potential flight risk.
A probable cause conference is set for May 24.
A preliminary examination is set for May 31.
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