REDDING, Calif. – A man from Redding was arrested after attempting to meet a minor for sexual purposes.
The Shasta County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit had been conducting an undercover operation throughout June.
According to the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office, the operation involved a decoy posing as a 14-year-old girl online.
Authorities say the suspect, identified as 31-year-old Bronson Ruzicka of Redding, began sending explicit messages to the undercover decoy via text messaging.
The Shasta County Sheriff’s Office says that Ruzicka then started messaging the decoy to arrange meeting with him for the purpose of having sexual relations.
As a result of the investigation, a felony arrest warrant for Ruzicka was obtained by authorities on Wednesday, June 25.
Ruzicka was taken into custody by authorities on Friday, June 27 when he arrived at the arraigned meeting location. Authorities found evidence in his vehicle indicating Ruzicka’s intent to engage in sexual activities with the minor.
A subsequent search of Ruzicka’s residence on the 4300 block of Agnes May Drive in Redding yielded additional evidence against Ruzicka.
Authorities say that Ruzicka was interviewed and booked into the Shasta County Jail on the following charges:
- Sending harmful material to a minor
- Distributing, sending, or exhibiting harmful material to a minor
- Arranging to meet with a minor with sexual intent (two counts)
- Arriving to meet with a minor with sexual intent (two counts)
The Shasta County Sheriff’s Office says that bail for Ruzicka has been set at $50,000.
