About FlashAlert on Twitter:
FlashAlert utilizes the free service Twitter to distribute emergency text messages. While you are welcome to register your cell phone text message address directly into the FlashAlert system, we recommend that you simply "follow" the FlashAlert account for Benton Co. Sheriff's Office by clicking on the link below and logging in to (or creating) your free Twitter account. Twitter sends messages out exceptionally fast thanks to arrangements they have made with the cell phone companies.
On Friday, February 7, 2020, the Benton County Sheriff’s Office arrested Daniel Lee Baldie, 33 years old, of Vancouver, Washington, at the conclusion of a two and a half week undercover chat operation initiated by the Benton County Sheriff’s Office.
In January, an undercover Benton County Sheriff’s Office deputy, posing as a minor child, responded to an online ad which was seeking “younger girls”. During the course of the conversation that followed, Baldie offered to drive to Corvallis to meet with the child, then drive the child back to Vancouver for sex. Baldie was arrested as he arrived in Corvallis on Friday night to pick up the child. Baldie was later lodged in the Benton County Jail for Luring a Minor, Online Sexual Corruption of a Child I, and Attempted Using Child in Display of Sexually Explicit Conduct.
Following the arrest of Baldie, the Vancouver Police Department (WA), executed a search warrant at Baldie’s residence. During the service of the search warrant, the wife of Daniel Lee Baldie was interviewed as a possible co-conspirator in the crime of Attempt Rape of a Child in the 2nd degree. Several electronic devices were seized for computer forensic examination and the couple’s three children were taken into protective custody.
Vancouver Police Department detectives will work with the Benton County (OR) District Attorney’s Office, the Clark County (WA) Prosecuting Attorney’s Office and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon on the criminal charging of either subject regarding Washington State RCW and federal criminal violations.
The Benton County Sheriff’s Office encourages the public to report any suspected online enticement of children for sexual acts to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) at http://CyberTipline.org or 1-800-843-5678. NCMEC continuously reviews CyberTipline reports to ensure that reports of children who may be in imminent danger get first priority. After NCMEC’s review is completed, all information in a CyberTipline report is made available to law enforcement.
The Benton County Sheriff’s Office thanks the Vancouver Police Department and the FBI who assisted in this investigation.