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WILKES-BARRE — An Ashley man was charged Wednesday with having sexual relations with a 12-year-old girl he met on social media.

Luzerne County detectives allege Tamango Michael Brown, 24, of Ashley Street, had sexual contact with the girl at least three times at a playground on Hickory Street from November to December.

Brown apologized and asked detectives to apologize to the girl’s family, court records say.

City police listed Brown’s address as homeless when he was arrested in an unrelated incident earlier this month.

According to a criminal complaint filed by detectives Charles Balogh and Daniel Yursha:

The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received tips that a man, identified as Brown, was communicating with a 12-year-old on Facebook. During chat sessions, Brown asked the girl to send him nude pictures.

Brown and the girl conversed about having sex and talked about their age difference, with Brown telling the girl he didn’t care.

The girl sent Brown a five-second video of her taking a shower, and Brown sent the girl a picture of his genitals.

The girl was identified when detectives obtained a search warrant that was served to Facebook.

Later, the child was questioned by a forensic interviewer at the Luzerne County Children’s Advocacy Center. She said she met Brown three or four times at the playground where they kissed and Brown molested her.

She claimed Brown kept asking to have sex but she kept telling him “no,” resulting in Brown giving her an attitude and Brown eventually blocking her on Facebook.

When Brown was questioned, he admitted to having sexual relations with the girl, plus exchanging inappropriate pictures and video.

Brown was arraigned by District Judge Matthew Christopher in Central Court on two counts of indecent assault, and one count each of aggravated indecent assault, unlawful contact with a minor and corruption of minors. He remained jailed for lack of $100,000 bail.

In an unrelated case, Brown appeared Tuesday in Central Court for allegedly having a marijuana blunt when he refused to leave Hazle Mart at Blackman and Hazle streets Feb. 10. Brown pleaded guilty to possession of drug paraphernalia, records say.

Brown
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By Ed Lewis

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