PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – A 65-year-old man already on probation for allegations of luring a minor and purchasing sex with a minor is accused of attempting to have sex with a 15-year-old girl, according to court documents.
Prosecutors have successfully asked a judge to increase bail for Mark Edwards Wann to $500,000.
According to court documents, officers assigned to the Portland Police Bureau’s Sex Trafficking Unit conducted an undercover mission on Oct. 17 using the website Backpage.com. Officers received a phone call and text messages in response to an ad that had been set up as part of their mission.
The phone number belonged to Wann, according to court documents. During the conversation with the undercover officers, Wann told them that he wanted to exchange money for sexual services. Wann asked the undercover officer is she was, in fact, 19, as the ad stated. During the call, the undercover officer stated she had a 15-year-old friend working with her.
“…[Wann] agreed to the price of $300 in exchange for sexual service” from both the 19-year-old and 15-year-old decoys, according to court documents.
Wann later sent several sexually explicit text messages to the undercover officer.
Wann was taken into custody after showing up to the motel where he agreed to meet the undercover officer and her 15-year-old friend. When police took him into custody he was found to be in possession of $200 and a bottle of lubrication.
Records show that Wann appeared in court on Monday and was arraigned on allegations of purchasing sex with a minor, luring a minor, attempted rape, attempted sodomy, commercial sexual solicitation, attempting to use a child in a display of sexually explicit conduct, and online sexual corruption of a child.
Filed under: Crime, Editor's Pick, Local News, Multnomah County, News, Oregon Tagged: Brent Weisberg
