By Palm Beach and Broward Mugshots
A Delray Beach man was arrested July 1 following an undercover operation that investigators say involved online communications with someone he allegedly believed was a 13-year-old boy.
According to the Delray Beach Police Department, Nathan Laurent, 44, was taken into custody after officers responded to a planned meeting location in the 4700 block of West Atlantic Avenue. Investigators reported that a private citizen working with a child-protection group alerted law enforcement after communications allegedly took place through an online messaging platform.
Authorities stated that the individual communicating with Laurent was actually an adult decoy posing as a juvenile. Investigators allege that conversations progressed over text messages and included discussions about meeting in person. Police say Laurent later arrived at the predetermined location, where officers made contact with him.
According to the probable cause affidavit, Laurent allegedly acknowledged communicating with someone he believed to be a 13-year-old boy and traveling to the meeting location. Officers reported recovering cellular devices during the arrest and said evidence gathered during the investigation supported the charges filed in the case.
Laurent was booked into the Palm Beach County Jail on charges of:
- Traveling to Meet a Minor for an Unlawful Act (Felony)
- Use of a Two-Way Communication Device to Facilitate a Felony (Felony)
Court records indicate bond was set at $85,000 on the traveling charge and $5,000 on the communications-device charge.
Consistent with our editorial standards regarding crimes involving children, Palm Beach and Broward Mugshots does not publish identifying information about minors or reproduce explicit allegations contained in court documents.
All individuals are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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