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SALT LAKE CITY -- A federal judge sentenced a California man to 10 years in prison for luring a Utah girl into a sexual relationship online.
Robert Lavern Davison Jr. 41, caught the attention of local authorities last November when the girl disappeared from school.
"It's really important in this case that we got the 10-year sentence," said Assistant United States Attorney Trina Higgins.
Prosecutors left federal court pleased that an online predator would be locked up for a long time.
Davison, from Northern California, was sentenced to 10 years for luring a 13-year-old Utah girl into a sexual relationship. Davison met the girl online while playing the game "World of Warcraft." The two started instant messaging.
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Following Robert Lavern Davison's arrest, investigators want to warn parents about these games becoming forums for child predators."This is a real girl who had been talking to him online, he had coerced her to go out and meet him," said Higgins.
Authorities said Davison convinced the girl to travel to California; he even bought her a one-way bus ticket.
Last November the 13-year-old disappeared from school.
The Centerville Police Department, the Utah Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the FBI found her at a Salt Lake City bus stop.
"She was just a few hours away from getting on a bus and going to California, and who knows what would have happened when she got off the bus in California," said Lt. Paul Child of the Centerville Police Department.
Davidson was arrested in California and brought to Utah to face the charges.
"We work together as a team, local state and federal agencies worked together very well to bring this to an arrest and I think saving this girl's life," said Child.
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