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BUCKHANNON - An Upshur County man is behind bars after allegedly soliciting a juvenile online.
Dustin Mitchell Hull, 41, has been charged with soliciting a minor via computer, and traveling to engage in sex activity, both felonies. He is being held in the Tygart Valley Regional Jail on a $100,000 cash-only bond.
According to the criminal complaint, prepared by Sgt. Tyler A. Gordon of the Upshur County Sheriff’s Office, from Feb. 9 through July 16, Hull contacted a female juvenile and engaged in conversation with her through Facebook Messenger, attempting to "solicit, entice or lure (her) to meet with him," and "heavily implied" that he wanted them to have a sexual relationship.
The complaint states that Hull offered to buy the alleged victim a dinner "and maybe even a movie," and to help her get a tattoo.
Hull allegedly attempted to "solicit nude images" from the alleged victim, the complaint states. Hull also "attempted to entice, seduce or lure the juvenile victim so he could commit delivery (of) medical marijuana to her to consume."
The complaint alleges that Hull "made multiple physical attempts to meet up with the juvenile victim by offering to ride his ATV through the woods" to be with her, offering to meet her alone, and "even admitted to being physically present" at a local school "to physically come into contact with the victim."
In the messages, Hull wrote about "kidnapping" the juvenile, and repeatedly insisted that he wanted to see or meet with her, according to the complaint.
Gordon writes that Hull "has reason to know that the victim is under the age of 18."