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Timothy Shea
Timothy Shea is accused of Internet luring of a child.

Arvada Cell Phone Salesman Arrested Over Text Messages

Teen Reports Messages To Mother Who Contacts DA Investigators

POSTED: 2:40 pm MST November 23, 2009

An Arvada cell phone salesman has been arrested on charges of Internet luring of a child.

Timothy Robert Shea, 32, was arrested Friday following a weeklong investigation by the Jefferson County District Attorney's Office.

The investigation began on Nov. 15 when a mother went to a cell phone store in the 5200 block of Kipling Street with her 13-year-old daughter to buy a cell phone.

Shea was the salesman who waited on them, according to his arrest affidavit. After Shea sold a cell phone to the mother, her daughter told Shea about a problem with her own cell phone.

Shea offered to send her a "test" text message in order to resolve the problem, the affidavit said.

The teen provided him with her cell phone number and he sent the test message. The mother and daughter left the store thinking nothing more about it.

Three days later, the 13-year-old allegedly received text messages from Shea that caused her concern and she immediately told her mother. The girl's mother had just recently attended District Attorney Investigator Mike Harris’ Internet Safety presentation at a parents group at her child's school, so she called Harris.

Harris began an investigation into Shea's activities, which included at least one conversation between Shea and an undercover investigator.

According to the arrest affidavit, text messages and cell phone conversations with the undercover investigator led to Shea suggesting a meeting with the person he believed to be the underage teen. The "meeting" was for sexual purposes, the DA said.

Shea was arrested by district attorney investigators on Nov. 20, when he drove to meet the 13-year-old girl, the arrest affidavit stated.

Shea was advised of his rights Monday and is scheduled to be back in court on Nov. 30 to be advised of charges filed against him. Bond was set in the amount of $25,000.

"The teen in this case did exactly what we teach in our Internet Safety presentations -- she told her mother," said District Attorney Scott Storey. "Her mother also did the right thing. It's very rewarding to know that our prevention efforts, in this case our Internet Safety presentations, are making a difference in the community.

"We strongly recommend that when parents buy cell phones for their children that the transaction reflects that the phone is for the parent," said Storey. "Here is just one more place where a child's personal information can be compromised and potentially used for illegal activity."
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