SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — A report of a missing 15-year-old Sioux Falls girl led to a three-day investigation, an arrest and sex charges.
The search for the girl led Sioux Falls Police to 20-year-old Cornell Jones.
“We had officers that were looking for a runaway and during the course of that investigation, found that there was communication between the suspect and the runaway,” said Public Information Officer Sam Clemens.
Public Information officer Sam Clemens says Jones connected with the victim through Instagram, and after messaging back and forth, Jones offered to get her a ride to meet him.
2 men wanted in Silver Dollar Casino robbery
“As police continued their investigation, it led them here to the Super Eight motel where they found Jones and the 15-year-old together.
Today in court, a prosecutor told the judge Jones lied to police about the victim being in the room. Police found her hiding in the bathroom.
“She was in the room when officers arrived. And then we later learned that there had been some sexual contact between the two of them,” Clemens said.