Ishmael Henry thought he was sexting a 13-year-old girl he met on Facebook.
And for awhile, the 20-year-old man was, Cook County prosecutors said.
But then the teenager’s father discovered the text messages and took over the conversations, pretending he was his daughter.
The man texted Henry about a possible meeting on Monday and Henry agreed, believing he was talking to the girl, Assistant State’s Attorney Holly Grosshans said.
Henry went to the corner of Homan and Harrison that night, Grosshans said. But when he was confronted by the girl’s father and another person, Henry ran, Grosshans said.
The girl’s father flagged down police and Henry was arrested shortly after.
Police recovered sexually explicit text messages between the girl and Henry, who met the teen on Facebook in April and continued to exchange messages with her there, on Snapchat and the TextMe app, Grosshans said.
The girl had told Henry she was 13, and he told police he knew she was a minor, Grosshans said.
Henry allegedly admitted to the text messages and said he maybe intended to touch the girl “a little” but denied planning to do anything sexual at the public meeting place.
Judge James Brown ordered Henry, of the 3700 block of West Lexington, held on $50,000 bail Wednesday for indecent solicitation of a child and traveling to meet a minor.
