Police: Man accused of having sex with 12-year-old girl he met online

WEST MIFFLIN, Pa. — A 31-year-old man is facing several charges after he had sex with a 12-year-old Elizabeth Township girl he met on an online dating site, police said.

Channel 11's Renee Kaminski reported that Timothy Neal was arrested Jan. 5 at the Holiday Inn Express on Lebanon Church Road while he was with the 12-year-old girl.

According to police, Neal told detectives he moved to Pittsburgh about six months ago and met the girl on an 18-and-over online dating site called Tagged.

Investigators said Neal told them he made contact with the girl after talking to her for a period of time, and they made plans to meet in person.

According to police, Neal said the first time he met the girl he questioned her about her age, and she told him she was 18.

Detectives said Neal and the girl met a second time, and she told him she was 17 and would be 18 in three months. During that meeting, police said, the two kissed.

Neal told investigators that he then talked to someone on the phone that identified herself as the girl's mother. He said the woman told him she didn't approve of the difference in ages, but if her daughter was happy, then she was OK.

West Mifflin police said they received a complaint from the girl's grandmother. The grandmother said she became suspicious when her granddaughter didn't come home from the mall.

After checking her Facebook account and seeing a message from Neal, police responded to the hotel where they found him and the girl.

Police said Neal and the girl had sex twice before he was arrested.

According to Kaminski, Neal is charged with two counts of rape, two counts of indecent sexual assault, two counts of aggravated indecent assault, one count of unlawful contact with a minor and two counts of corruption of minors.

WPXI