District Attorney investigators have arrested a 32-year-old cell phone salesperson, Timothy Robert Shea, for Internet Luring of a Child.

The investigation began on November 15 when a woman went in to the store at 52nd and Kipling in Arvada to purchase a cell phone.  Her 13-year-old daughter was with her. 

Shea was their salesperson. According the arrest affidavit, after making the cell phone sale to the mother, the 13-year-old mentioned a problem with her cell phone.  Shea offered to send her a “test” text message in order to resolve the problem.  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.

On November 18 the young teen is alleged to have received text messages from Shea that were concerning to her.  She immediately told her mother.  Her mother had just recently seen DA Investigator Mike Harris’ Internet Safety presentation at a parents group at her child's elementary school, and called Investigator Harris.

Harris began an investigation into Timothy Shea’s activities which included conversation between Shea and an undercover DA investigator.  

According to the arrest affidavit, text messages and cell phone conversations  led to Shea suggesting meeting with the person he believed to be an under-age teen for sexual purposes.

“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. But for everyone making good choices this story could have had a very different ending.”

Shea was arrested by DA investigators on November 20 when he drove to meet the person he believed to be an under-aged teen.

“We strongly recommend that when parents buy cell phones for their children that the transaction reflects that the phone is for the parent,” says Storey. “Here is just one more place where a childs’ personal information can be compromised and potentially used for illegal activity.”

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