Police arrest man in Craigslist sting

Huntington Beach police arrested a Santa Ana man last week after he allegedly tried to initiate a sexual relationship with a minor on Craigslist.

Detectives, posing on the website as a 13-year-old girl, received lewd messages from 35-year-old Oscar Pinedo, according to a news release. Pinedo, who was told repeatedly of the girl’s age, made arrangements to meet her with the intent of paying her to have sex with him, the release said.

At about 7:30 p.m. Jan. 4, Pinedo drove to Huntington Beach to meet the girl, only to be arrested by detectives.

He was booked at the Huntington city jail on suspicion of communicating with a minor with intent to commit a lewd act, arranging to meet a minor to conduct a lewd act and attempting to conduct a lewd act with a minor. An immigration hold was also placed on Pinedo.

Police declined to state the location of Pinedo’s arrest, as the investigation is ongoing.

—Michael Miller

Twitter: @MichaelMillerHB