Over the past several months, Lincoln City police officers have conducted investigations involving child luring crimes during which officers posed as underage children on various online social media platforms and were contacted by two separate adult men.
These men then initiated sexually inappropriate conversations and sent sexually explicit photographs to these accounts, which they believed to be operated by juveniles in Lincoln County. The following arrests were made as a result of these investigations:
On May 14, Robert “Robbie” Powell, 25 of Sheridan, was arrested after messaging multiple decoy accounts and initiating sexually inappropriate conversations. Powell was charged with Luring a Minor, and he was lodged at the Lincoln County Jail, where he remains.
On May 21, Ravi J.G. Bemis, 36, of Sequim, Wash. was arrested after messaging multiple decoy accounts, initiating sexually inappropriate conversations, and attempting to meet with a child for sex in Lincoln City. Bemis is from Lincoln City but currently resides in Sequim. Bemis was charged with Luring a Minor and Online Sexual Corruption of a Child 2nd Degree. He is currently lodged at the Clallam County Jail in Washington while he awaits extradition to Oregon.
Investigators believe there may be more victims and urge anyone with relevant information to call the Lincoln City Police Department at (541) 994-3636 and request to leave a message for Officer Z. Lane.
The Lincoln City Police wants to encourage parents to monitor their children’s social media activity and discuss with them the possible dangers of communicating with strangers online. These investigations are conducted in a continuing effort to protect our children from predators who target children for sexual exploitation and to reduce crime and further enhance the safety of our community.
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