A California man was arrested after being accused of performing sex acts with a 14-year-old he met on Reddit, federal officials said.

The teen’s family reported her missing in Arizona and, after reaching out to her friends, learned that she was planning to run away, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California.

The girl had told her friend that she’d met a man, later identified as 32-year-old Trevon Nathaniel Langstaff, on a Reddit page about runaways, prosecutors said. There was no attorney information listed for Langstaff in court records as of March 28.

The girl said Langstaff “harbored runaways” and “currently had two other teenagers staying with him,” officials said. The girl, found in a closet in Langstaff’s Long Beach apartment, was rescued, prosecutors said.

She told officials the two engaged in sexual acts when they got to Langstaff’s apartment, officials said. Langstaff was arrested and charged with transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, officials said.

If Langstaff is convicted, he’ll face a minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison, officials said.

Long Beach is about a 25-mile drive south of downtown Los Angeles.

Last modified: January 23, 2025