Frankfort police are investigating after they say a 21-year-old man solicited sex from a 12-year-old girl via Facebook Messenger.

Around 11:30 P.M. on July 24, police responded to a complaint that 21-year-old David Barcey  was soliciting an underage female with offers of beer and sex via Facebook. Officers talked with the 12-year-old victim’s parents who allowed them access to her phone, enabling them to read through the messages.

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Barcey had been sending messages to the victim telling her to come to his residence.  He told her that he had beer and when asked by the victim if he wanted to have sex, he said yes.

Officers at the scene were able to use the victim’s phone to continue to communicate with the suspect via the messenger application while posing as the victim.

Through the course of the conversation with Barcey, they were able to confirm that he knew the victim was only 12 years of age. Barcey agreed to meet with the victim at a park located near his home, telling her to wait for him there. He also described what he would be wearing so that he would not be confused with anyone else that may have been at that location.

Officer surveillance of the meeting point resulted in seeing Barcey dressed as described walking near the entrance to the park. He was then taken into custody at the scene without incident.

Frankfort Police are encouraging anyone who knows of similar interactions with Barcey to contact them.

Lexington police say three people now face murder charges in the shooting death last October of Darnell Bates.

Charles B. Patton III and Caitlyn Conway, both 22, are charged with murder and robbery in the first degree. Police are also searching for another suspect, 22-year-old Demarcus Harris, on the same charges.

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Bates was killed October 5 of last year when the suspects forced their way into his Addie Street home.

A man wanted for stalking, is in custody after Lexington Police said that he shot a woman’s vehicle on Tuesday.

Investigators chased the man across the city on Tuesday, starting on Winter Garden where the shots were fired, and then ending with the arrest of 22- year old Jacob Gross, on Appian Way.

“We just heard like five or six gun shots in the back,” said Amber Watkins. “Like pop, pop, pop, pop, pop. Just back to back.”

It’s a sound Watkins never expected to hear at her home on Winter Garden, especially at 1 p.m. in the afternoon.

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“Bullets have no names, so they could have easily come in here and hurt me, my kids,” said Watkins.

Thankfully, the shots only hit a car. Police said Gross targeted the vehicle, because of some sort of domestic dispute. After the shots were fired, investigators said Gross ran from the scene.

“That started a search. They had canine come out to the area, but were unsuccessful in locating the suspect,” said Commander Roger Holland, with the Lexington Police Department.

A few hours after the shots fired incident, an officer spotted Gross near Armstrong Mill and Leisure Creek Court. However, investigators said Gross fled from police again, and a foot pursuit ensued.

Neighbors said they noticed the commotion, of the man running and jumping fences. With police searching, and dogs tracking his scent, people who saw the chase started telling officers where the man was.

“With the assistance of some citizens we were able to apprehend the suspect, behind the apartments here on Appian,” said Commander Holland.

Investigators said Gross already had warrants for stalking and violating a protective order. After this latest incident, police arrested him for wanton endangerment, fleeing and evading police and receiving stolen property which investigators said was a gun.

Lexington Police are investigating an armed robbery a Verizon Wireless store after they say three men carried out the crime.

It happened Tuesday Afternoon. Police tell LEX 18 that two men entered the Verizon Store on Richmond Road. The two men engaged two employees with questions about purchasing a cell phone. One of the employees told police that they became suspicious because one of the men seemed nervous.

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One man left the store and then came back in with another. A weapon was produced and the three men got away with an unspecified amount of tablets and cell phones.

Surveillance photos will be released shortly. A description was not immediately available.

Lexington police are turning up the heat on a trio of men wanted in a smash and grab heist at Jared’s on West Reynolds Road.

They’ve released more photos and video of the men helping themselves to thousands of dollars in loose diamonds during the June 19th robbery.

“These guys had absolutely no reservations about walking in there, taking a hammer and destroying these cases in broad daylight in front of God and everybody,” says Detective Mark Thomas.

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Police say the robbery was planned and rehearsed. Even the maroon Dodge Caravan authorities say they were driving was stolen and was later found ditched along Nicholasville Road near Southpoint.

After smashing a display case with a hammer, the men took off with two large boards full of loose diamonds. Their faces aren’t covered, which could mean they’re not local. But one wore an “Enemy Of The State” hoodie, and police are hoping that might jog someone’s memory.

Crime Stoppers is offering a thousand dollar cash reward for information about the identity of the men. Call the tip line at 859.253.2020.

A suspect is being sought in a  Whitley County methamphetamine bust and sheriff’s officials are turning to the public for help.

The Whitley County Sheriff’s Department has obtained an arrest warrant for Thomas Wayne Hersey, 41, of River Road. Anybody with knowledge of Hersey’s whereabouts is asked to call Whitley County E911 at (606) 549-6017.

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The warrant stems from an incident in which officials say happened on Sunday. When approaching a camper where Hersey stays to serve a warrant, they say he fled into the woods. Officers noticed several one step meth labs and meth precursors.

Also located at the scene was a loaded .22 caliber handgun, which Hersey was not permitted to have due to his criminal history.

“This man already had a warrant for his arrest, and he ran. Now he’s facing more charges. His last attempt to evade authorities didn’t last very long, and we hope information from the public can make sure he’s behind bars soon,” says Sheriff Colan Harrell.

Hersey has been previously arrested on a meth charge.

A 45-year-old Galveston, Texas man has pleaded guilty to federal child exploitation charges in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney John M. Bales today.

Jose Stephen Gracia pleaded guilty to production of child pornography today before U.S. District Judge Marcia Crone.

According to information presented in court, on Apr. 2, 2015, federal agents executed a search warrant at Gracia’s residence in Galveston based on information that child pornography was being distributed from that location.  During the search, investigators located a digital memory card in a locked safe that contained videos of Gracia and his victims.  In these videos, Gracia, a registered sex offender, was engaged in sexual activity with the children.  Further investigation revealed the videos were originally produced in Jefferson County, Texas.  Gracia was indicted by a federal grand jury on May 7, 2015.

Gracia faces a mandatory term of life in federal prison.  A sentencing date has not been set.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

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This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office and Galveston Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lesley Bartow.

Two people face charges in an adult exploitation case in Lexington.

According to the arrest citation, Ashley Shackleford and Glen Stamper conned a 64-year-old woman out of thousands of dollars. Investigators  say the victim suffers from multiple disabilities that affect her memory and her ability to manage her finances.

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Court documents indicate Stamper was charged in June after accepting payments for work he never did at the woman’s home. Police say Shackleford later took money on Stamper’s behalf while he was in jail on other charges.

Stamper and Shackleford are scheduled for arraignment Tuesday.