KINGSTON — Court records state that a man from Mississippi traveled for several days to meet someone he thought was a 14-year-old girl for sex, carrying a loaded firearm and a bag of methamphetamine.
Tyler Anthony Quintana, 30, who is homeless, was taken into custody upon arriving at the meeting location with the girl on Thursday night, as detailed in court records.
According to court records, Quintana was communicating with an unknown person on a social media platform.
The individual Quintana was speaking with contacted the Kingston police when Quintana arrived at the location.
Quintana had to be physically removed from his Jeep Cherokee and a trailer, as noted in the court records.
According to court records, police and a Luzerne County detective discovered a Ruger 9mm loaded with two rounds between the driver’s seat and center console and a bag of methamphetamine.
Following his arrest, Quintana reportedly agreed to talk with the police.
During the interview, Quintana claimed that he had been communicating with a 14-year-old girl on social media and believed himself to be in love with her. He had driven for two days from Mississippi with the intention of meeting the girl and her parents, and in the event that the parents approved, he planned to engage in sexual activity with the girl and take her to Ohio to meet his mother, according to court records.
The individual who had been communicating with Quintana turned over online messages dating back to early December.
Court records state that the online messages contained sexually explicit content, with Quintana expressing his affection for the girl and inquiring about her use of birth control.
Quintana was arraigned by District Judge Kyle Halesey of Hanover Township on charges including attempted unlawful contact with a minor, solicitation to commit sexual assault, solicitation to commit deviate sexual intercourse, illegal firearm possession, possession of a firearm with an altered serial number, possession of drug paraphernalia, improper use of communication facility, and two counts of possession of a controlled substance.
According to court records, the firearm found in Quintana's Jeep had a modified serial number.
