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Internet Runaway Rescued From Bondage

Thursday, Jan 7, 2010 | Updated 2:54 PM PST

Bernalillo County Sheriff

Edward Christy mug shot.

A man who allegedly admitted having sex with a 16-year-old runaway girl from Westminster was in custody in Albuquerque, N.M., Tuesday.

Edward S. Christy, 57, was arrested Monday in Albuquerque on suspicion of criminal sexual penetration, custodial interference and sexual exploitationof children, according to an arrest warrant from the Bernalillo County Sheriff's office. He was locked up in lieu of $200,000 bail.

When sheriff's deputies went to arrest Christy, they noticed whatappeared to be a camera flashing in the window and the girl's wrists and necktied with straps, according to an arrest warrant signed by Bernalillo Countysheriff's Detective Weylin Proctor.

On Sunday, the girl's parents told Westminster police their daughter left a note, saying she had run away from home, Westminster police Officer Cameron Knauerhaze said.

The parents found e-mail and chat logs on her computer that indicatedshe had met an Albuquerque man online, Knauerhaze said. Investigators dugfurther and found an address of ``a person of interest,'' Knauerhaze said.

Once in custody, FBI agents questioned Christy, who told them he met thegirl about six weeks ago on a dating web site, according to the arrestwarrant. Christy said the girl claimed she was 18, and he asked her to send himphotographs, according to the warrant.

The girl called Christy on Friday and told him that she would killherself if she could not be with him, according to the warrant, which statedthat Christy drove to California to pick her up.

Christy said he had sex with the girl twice, once in a motel in Needles,California, and again at his home, Proctor said in the warrant.

Under questioning, Christy admitted he knew the girl was under age, according to the warrant. Christy said he bought dog cages and bondage items for the girl, Proctor stated.

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