Police Arrest Newcastle Church Deacon For Stalking Child Online

Xin Xin Liu, News9.com

NEWCASTLE, Oklahoma – Police have arrested a deacon at the First Baptist Church in Newcastle over the weekend for stalking a child on the Internet.

According to the police report, 71-year-old Robert Wells, who was also the coach of a girl's community basketball team, was arrested for stalking a 15-year-old girl from Van Buren, Arkansas in a Yahoo chat room.

Van Buren police initiated an investigation into Wells after he solicited the girl for sex and sent her images of himself. Police said Wells made plans to travel from his Newcastle home to Van Buren to have sex with the girl.

According to the police report, as Wells arrived in Van Buren, he was met by police and was taken into custody.

Wells was booked into the jail in Crawford County, Arkansas on an $80,000 bond. Police said Wells have bonded out of jail.