Bradenton man charged with using Facebook to lure minor for sex

A 24-year-old Bradenton man is charged with lewd and lascivious battery on a child, using a computer to seduce a child and traveling to meet after using a computer to lure a child.

The age of the victim was not released, but according to the charges the victim is between the ages of 12 and 16.

According to the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, Anthony “T.J.” Price contacted the victim via Facebook, asking how old she was..

The victim told Price her age and he did not contact her for another week. However, deputies say Price ultimately reached out to her in April and asked her if she liked to smoke marijuana.

Deputies say after further discussions, the girl agreed in early August to sneak out of her home late at night so Price could pick her up.

The two would drive off, smoke marijuana and have sex, according to the arrest warrant. This occurred on a couple of occasions with the last time on Aug. 12, and Price would then return the girl to her home.

The girl’s parents discovered their daughter missing in early August and reported the child as a runaway. After she did it again, upon returning home, the messages between the child and Price were discovered and a criminal investigation was launched.

Price was already wanted on an April arrest warrant on a charge of fleeing to elude. The new warrant was obtained this month and Price was arrested on Aug. 13.

Price was booked into the Manatee County jail on the charges. He was released after posting bonds totaling more than $77,000.