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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Rape Investigation Follows Online Meeting

From Staff And Wire Reports

A 36-year-old man was arrested for investigation of first-degree child rape after being found early Saturday in a car with an 11-year-girl he had met in an online “chat room.”

Jerome Jackson of Seattle was being held in the municipal jail of this Seattle suburb, and the girl was returned to her parents, detective Mark Gustafson said.

Police gave the following account:

The girl exchanged messages with Jackson through an America Online chat room Friday and agreed to meet him, giving him directions to her house and telling her parents she was going to visit a friend.

Jackson drove the girl to West Fenwick Park, where a patrol officer noticed his car parked with the windows steamed up at 1:30 a.m. Saturday - a time when the park is closed to visitors.

The officer found the man and girl in the back seat. Both were clothed but the girl’s underwear was on the floor of the car.