Man arrested at Petaluma park in police sting, allegedly sought sex from 13-year-old girl

A Southern California man who allegedly traveled to Petaluma to have sex with a 13-year-old girl was arrested Sunday while waiting for her at a playground following a three-month police sting operation.

Brent Spivey, 24, had set up a makeshift campsite in a nearby creek bed to have sex with the girl, Petaluma Police Sgt. Paul Gilman said.

Spivey engaged in “inappropriate sexual contact” with the girl in December and continued to communicate with her on social media, police said.

With the permission of her parents, Detective Walt Spiller assumed the girl’s online identity in March and began communicating with Spivey.

“On a regular basis, Spivey would communicate with Detective Spiller and make inappropriate comments, discuss his desire to have sex with the minor, and he would send pornographic images of himself through the social media account,” Gilman said in a statement.

Spivey expressed desire to travel to Sonoma County to engage in sex acts with the girl on several occasions, but would cancel just before the trip. Last week, Spivey said he was prepared to return to Petaluma to meet with the girl again for sex.

When he arrived Sunday morning at an east Petaluma playground, he was promptly arrested on suspicion of 18 felony counts of suspected sex acts and attempted sex acts with a minor.

“This case serves as a reminder that parents should be proactive in the online safety of their children. In this day and age it’s important to remain vigilant when it comes to minors using social media,” Gilman said in a statement.

Police say there is no evidence of additional victims in Sonoma County, although they continue to investigate. Parents with concerns can learn more about online safety for children from Petaluma-based nonprofit Polly Klaas Foundation at www.pollyklaas.org.

You can reach staff writer Susan Minichiello at 707-521-5216 or susan.minichiello@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @susanmini.