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Charleroi man accused of luring three young girls through Snapchat

Police say Brandon Johnson, 35, drove girls to a Connellsville hotel

Charleroi man accused of luring three young girls through Snapchat

Police say Brandon Johnson, 35, drove girls to a Connellsville hotel

POLICE SAY 35-YEAR-OLD BRANDON JOHNSON FOUND THESE GIRLS ON THE APP BEGAN CHATTING WITH THEM AND EVENTUALLY GOT THEM ALL THE WAY TO A LOCAL HOTEL. >> IT WAS A MATTER OF MINUTES THAT THEY WERE IN THERE BEFORE THE GIRLS REALIZED THE SITUATION AND FINAGLED THEIR WAY OUT. JIM: JOHNSON IS IN THE FAYETTE COUNTY PRISON. HE WAS DENIED BAIL AND FACING A LONG LIST OF CHARGES INCLUDING KIDNAPPING. ACCORDING TO CONNELLSVILLE POLICE, JOHNSON SENT THE THREE YOUNG GIRLS AGES 12, 13 AND 13 EXPLICIT MESSAGES AND CONVINCED THEM TO MEET HIM AT THE MCDONALD'S IN TOWN SATURDAY AFTERNOON FROM THERE POLICE SAY JOHNSON LURED THE GIRLS INTO HIS VEHICLE AND DROVE TO A NEARBY HOTEL WHERE HE GOT A ROOM. POLICE SAY JOHNSON OFFERED THE GIRLS MONEY FOR SEX,BUT THEY WERE ABLE TO DISTRACT HIM AND GET AWAY TO CALL FOR HELP. >> IF YOU'RE GOING TO ALLOW THAT ACCESS YOU HAVE GOT TO BE ON IT. 100% OTHERWISE THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS. THERE ARE PREDATORS IN THIS WORLD, AND THEY ARE LOOKING FOR THE SLIGHTEST SLIP UP. JIM: POLICE SAY JOHNSON TRIED TO COVER HIS TRACKS BY DELETING SNAPCHAT AND BLOCKING THE GIRLS FROM HIS ACCOUNT. WE DID TALK WITH AN EXPERT FROM THE FBI ABOUT PROTECTING KIDS FROM SITUATIONS LIKE THIS ON SOCIAL MEDIA. SO PAN NY OF THESE CASES ARE COMING FROM. >> THESE INSTANCES JUST DONE HAP PIN A ONE-TIME OCCURRENCE AND SOME TYPE OF GROOMING THAT GOES INTO POLICE AND IT TAKES TIME SO YOU WANT TO BE YOU KNOW ENGAGED WITH WHO YOUR CHILD IS COME MACHINE CAUGHT WITH ON-LINE AND GOING TO WANT TO KNOW WHAT APPS ARE THEY ARE USING AND WHERE THEY ARE GOING AND WHO THEY ARE COMMUNICATING WITH. REPORTER: NOW, IN THE CASE, JOHNSON WAS DEA NIED BILL AND FACING A LONG LIST OF CHARGES INCLUDING KIDNAPPING AND FBI SAYS TWO OFTEN IN THESE TYPES OF CASE, THEY DON'T GO, THEY DON'T GET REPORTED AND PEOPLE DON'T CALL THIS IN TO POLICE AND THAT RIGS THEY SAY IT IS IMPORTANT FOR PREANS TO HAVE OPEN LYNN OF COMMUNICATION THEIR KIDS TO CATCH THIS BEFORE SOMETHING BAD HAPPENS. RE
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Charleroi man accused of luring three young girls through Snapchat

Police say Brandon Johnson, 35, drove girls to a Connellsville hotel

Connellsville police said a 35-year-old Charleroi man used Snapchat to lure three young girls to an area hotel last weekend.According to police, Brandon Johnson reached out to the young girls, ages 12, 13 and 13, through Snapchat and convinced them to meet him at the McDonald's in Connellsville on Saturday afternoon.Police said, once the girls arrived, Johnson convinced them to get in his vehicle in exchange for alcohol and drove them to a nearby hotel.Court documents claim Johnson offered the girls money in exchange for sex, and that's when police said the girls distracted Johnson and ran for help. "It was a matter of minutes that they were in there before the girls realized the situation they had gotten themselves in and found their way out," Cpl. Bryan Kendi said.Johnson was arrested a short time later after police were able to identify him as the suspect. Police said this is another example of the dangers that can come from teens and children using social media."If you're going to allow that access, you have to be on it," Kendi said. "Otherwise, this is what happens. There are predators in the world and they are looking for the slightest slip-up."Johnson is facing multiple felony charges, including kidnapping. A judge denied Johnson bail and he is being held in the Fayette County jail.

Connellsville police said a 35-year-old Charleroi man used Snapchat to lure three young girls to an area hotel last weekend.

According to police, Brandon Johnson reached out to the young girls, ages 12, 13 and 13, through Snapchat and convinced them to meet him at the McDonald's in Connellsville on Saturday afternoon.

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Police said, once the girls arrived, Johnson convinced them to get in his vehicle in exchange for alcohol and drove them to a nearby hotel.

Court documents claim Johnson offered the girls money in exchange for sex, and that's when police said the girls distracted Johnson and ran for help.

"It was a matter of minutes that they were in there before the girls realized the situation they had gotten themselves in and found their way out," Cpl. Bryan Kendi said.

Johnson was arrested a short time later after police were able to identify him as the suspect.

Police said this is another example of the dangers that can come from teens and children using social media.

"If you're going to allow that access, you have to be on it," Kendi said. "Otherwise, this is what happens. There are predators in the world and they are looking for the slightest slip-up."

Johnson is facing multiple felony charges, including kidnapping. A judge denied Johnson bail and he is being held in the Fayette County jail.