Grayslake man charged with indecent solicitation of a child

A Grayslake man has been charged with indecent solicitation of a child after a Lake County online sting.

Thomas E. Edwards Jr., 29, of the 200 block of Glen Street, was arrested Tuesday by Lake County sheriff's detectives.

For the past several weeks, Edwards was communicating online with an undercover detective posing as a girl younger than 15, according to a sheriff's office news release.

He claimed to be 26 and began enticing the girl to meet with him to engage in sexual acts, the news release said. He also sent videos of himself engaged in sexual acts, authorities said.

On Tuesday, he drove to meet the girl and was arrested when he arrived, authorities said.

He is charged with traveling to meet a minor, grooming, solicitation of a child and dissemination of harmful material.

Bail has been set at $250,000. His next court date is Feb. 16.

The Naval Criminal Investigative Service helped with the investigation.