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

Craigslist ad listed 7-year-old for sale

For the third time in six months, Spokane-area detectives are investigating a child-for-sale advertisement on Craigslist.

A 911 caller reported the July 29 posting, but a dispatcher noticed the ad had been removed from the website.

The caller brought a copy of the ad to the Spokane Police Department.

Posted at 12:56 p.m. and titled “7 year old boy – $3000 (Spokane),” the ad said, “nice boy needs home will trade for anything.”

Spokane police Detective Curtis Kendall obtained a search warrant for the Internet protocol address used to post the ad, according to documents filed Monday in Spokane County Superior Court.

Kendall said probable cause exists to charge the ad’s author with felony child selling/buying, according to the search warrant.

Police are recommending that same charge against a Spokane father for an ad posted last month that his girlfriend has said was a joke. No charges have been filed.

In April, the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office and Sandpoint police determined a boy-for-sale ad discovered a month earlier was the work of a bored teen.