Gentry Man Being Held On Louisiana Warrant

BENTONVILLE — A Gentry man was arrested Monday in connection with trying to solicit sexual contact with a 13-year-old girl.

Paul David Ensign, 60, is being held in the Benton County Jail on charges of trafficking children for sexual purposes, sexual solicitation of a child, two counts of indecent behavior with a child and prostitution. Arkansas State Police arrested Ensign on a Louisiana warrant from Caddo Parish.

Ensign responded to a Craigslist ad concerning a 13-year-old girl. The investigation is being handled by the Louisiana State Police.

Brett Davis, a Louisiana state trooper, said Ensign’s arrest involved incidents that took place from July 17 to Sept. 20.

Ensign is accused of soliciting sex from the teen, according to Davis.

“He was willing to pay for the girl to live with him,” Davis said. “He would have paid an upfront fee and then monthly.”

Ensign communicated with the girl through text messages and sent the girl sexually explicit photographs, Davis said.

“He didn’t want to come to Louisiana and get her, but wanted to meet in Arkansas,” Davis said.

Ensign finally agreed to a meeting in Louisiana, but it never took place, Davis said.

Ensign will be brought to Louisiana to face charges, Davis said.

Louisiana law states a trafficking offense occurs when someone recruits a person younger than 18 for sexual purposes. The solicitation charges involves someone using a computer to knowingly contact a person younger than 17 for some type of sexual purpose, Davis said.

Ensign could face additional criminal charges, Davis said.

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