HARRISBURG MAN ARRESTED FOR CHILD SEX CRIMES

Benton Co. Sheriff's Office

CORVALLIS, Ore. – On Monday, July 12, 2021, Benton County Sheriff’s Office arrested Terrence Raymond Compton (58), of Harrisburg, after he knowingly solicited a 14-year-old female child online and took substantial steps to engage in sexual contact with the girl.

Benton County Sheriff Detectives, posing as a minor female child, posted to a local online service in late June 2021. During the course of the conversation that followed, Compton sent multiple text messages to the undercover account and was told the minor child was only 14 years old. Compton later offered to drive to Corvallis to meet with the child for sex. Compton was arrested as he arrived in Corvallis on Monday morning to pick up the child. Compton was later lodged in the Benton County Jail for Luring a Minor and Online Sexual Corruption of a Child I.

Predators target children for sexual purposes on social media, online gaming, classified websites, and messaging platforms.

“These cases continue to highlight the problem of online sexual predators targeting vulnerable children in Benton County,” stated Undersheriff Greg Ridler. “Please talk with your kids, use tools to protect them, and keep an eye on their online activity.”

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 children who may be in imminent danger get first priority.

Advice from the FBI, including privacy settings for electronic devices, is located at https://www.fbi.gov/scams-and-safety/protecting-your-kids.