Tayven Lynn Paola appears in a booking photo on Sept. 6, 2023. (Burleigh Morton (N.D.) Detention Center)
A North Dakota man has been arrested after repeatedly trading vapes with a minor in exchange for sex and nude pictures, authorities say.
Tayven Lynn Paola, 21, stands accused of numerous crimes over the allegations – many of which are highly specific under state law.
Those charges include: four counts of gross sexual imposition where the victim is under the age of 15 and defendant is under the age of 22; one count each of patronizing a minor for commercial sexual activity with intent to engage a minor; contributing to the delinquency of a minor – sexual conduct; luring minors by computer where the defendant is under the age of 22 and believes the victim is under the age of 15; and indecent exposure by any electronic means to a minor, according to Burleigh County court records reviewed by Law&Crime.
The alleged victim is a 13-year-old girl from Bismarck, according to an affidavit obtained by the Bismarck Tribune. The girl reportedly told law enforcement she and Paola had sex four separate times between March 1 and July 14 – each time in exchange for vape products.
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All the while, the girl allegedly told police, the defendant knew she was 13, because she had told him, but “she did not think he cared.”
The investigation began in late July after the girl’s parents brought her phone to the BPD. A data extraction turned up a series of messages allegedly between the girl and a username that they were able to eventually identify as belonging to Paola. Police say the girl and the defendant communicated using both Instagram and Snapchat.
In some of the messages, Paola allegedly promised vapes in exchange for sex and nude pictures and videos. The girl, in turn, sent those requested images and videos to the defendant, police say. Paola would allegedly send back explicit videos of himself at times.
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The defendant was arrested on Wednesday at his job, according to local CBS affiliate KXMC.
Paola made an initial court appearance on Thursday before South Central District Court Judge Pam Nesvig.
Burleigh County Assistant State’s Attorney Justin Schwarz pushed for tough bail conditions and a high price tag.
“He’s previously lived in Montana,” the prosecutor argued before the judge in courtroom comments reported by the Tribune. “That brings questions about his ties to the community.”
The court granted Paola’s release request on the condition he have no contact with the alleged victim and can pay a $20,000 cash only bond. The defendant is currently being detained in the Burleigh Morton Detention Center.
A preliminary hearing in the case is slated for Oct. 9.
Law&Crime reached out to the BPD for additional details on this story but no response was immediately forthcoming.
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