Student arraigned after exchanging sexually explicit texts with juvenile
A former Central Michigan University student has been arraigned on multiple criminal charges after police said he exchanged several explicit messages with a juvenile.
Jackson sophomore Brendan Baia, 19, is facing charges of accosting a minor for immoral purposes, possessing child sexually abusive material, distributing child sexually abusive material, and three counts of committing a crime with a computer. Police recovered Baia’s computer and cellphone with a search warrant conducted Aug. 30.
According to the Office of Student Affairs, Baia is no longer a CMU student.
In an affidavit, it was reported police recovered 122 Snapchat messages exchanged between Aug. 17 and Aug. 29, between Baia and a 12-year-old girl. The messages included sexually explicit statements and discussion of plans to meet at Baia’s residence.
“We can do all that in a few days,” Baia wrote Aug. 23. “Wanna shoot for Saturday.”
In an interview with Officer Carl Williams of CMUPD, Baia said he had been talking with the girl for a year and admitted to receiving inappropriate photos. He said the discussions between them were only fantasies.
The mother of the girl contacted police after noticing her daughter acting depressed and searched her phone.
Detective Michael Sienkiewicz wrote in an affidavit sent to Isabella County Court that Baia had received nude photos of the juvenile on his phone and sent nude pictures of himself back. The girl said she did not meet Baia in person.
The girl’s mother confronted Baia on Snapchat through her daughter’s account on Aug. 29.
“She told me she was turning 16 soon,” Baia said to the victim’s mother. “Regardless, I am overwhelmingly sorry you had to see your daughter have an inappropriate relationship with an adult.”
The mother responded by accusing Baia of lying and claiming he knew she wasn’t 15.
