WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – Authorities made an arrest Saturday after a man attempted to lure a 15-year-old into his van.
Winter Haven police officers spotted a van matching the description of one used in a luring case along Lake Elbert Drive on Thursday. The driver of the van allegedly tried to get a 15-year-old to get into the van.
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Officer Gavin Doyle was able to recognize the van and made contact with the driver as he left his van.
Randall Ogletree, 55, gave his name to the officer and the officer discovered Ogletree had an expired driver's license and a warrant for failure to appear on a charge of driving with an expired license.
The license plate number was similar to the one witnesses to the attempted luring gave at Lake Elbert.
The officer arrested Ogletree on the outstanding warrant and an additional charge of driving with an expired license.
While at the Police Department, Ogletree was interviewed and admitted that he was driving along Lake Elbert on Thursday and offered a female a ride.
"Ogletree indicated he thought the female was an adult because it appeared she was coming from 'Polk' (meaning Polk State College). He also told detectives that he always asks females he sees walking if they need a ride," the Winter Haven Police Department said.
Based on the accounts of two witnesses who saw the incident involving the van following the 15-year-old, Ogletree was charged with stalking.
Ogletree was taken to the Polk County Jail and is charged with one count of stalking and driving without an active driver's license, along with the failure to appear warrant.