Two men from Bismarck, St. Francois County, face felony child kidnapping charges in Oregon County after allegedly contacting a 17-year-old girl online and picking her and an 11-year-old girl up in Koshkonong late last week.
Ethan A. Moore, 25, and Connor L.M. Coleman, 21, are each charged with one count of felony child kidnapping of a child younger than 14.
According to a probable cause statement filed by Oregon County Deputy James Martin, the two girls were reported missing Saturday and initially believed to be runaways. Investigating officers spoke with another child in the household, who reported that the 17-year-old had been using a tablet to communicate with someone via Snapchat.
A review of the messaging logs revealed conversations with two men arranging to pick the girls up at about 10:40 p.m. near the Snappy Mart on south U.S. 63.
Deputy Martin used a Snapchat photo of Coleman to locate his Facebook profile, establishing his full identity and a location in the Bismarck area. Investigators also deduced Moore’s first name from the chat logs, along with a description of the suspect vehicle, a tan Chevrolet Malibu.
Believing the 17-year-old might be attempting to reach her father in Potosi, Martin alerted law enforcement agencies in Washington and St. Francois counties.
Officers with the Bismarck Police Department subsequently located a tan Malibu registered to Moore parked outside a local camper. Upon searching the residence, officers found both suspects and the two missing girls. The children were taken into protective custody to be returned home, while Moore and Coleman were placed under arrest.
According to the deputy’s report, the 17-year-old had been living in the Koshkonong household for about a month and is unrelated to the 11-year-old. She reportedly told law enforcement she had known Coleman for several months after connecting online through friends and family, and that her intention was to travel to Potosi to see her father. She added that the younger girl wanted to go with her.
The teen noted that while Coleman initially appeared confused when the 11-year-old joined them, neither suspect objected to taking both girls. She also reported that the men smoked marijuana after arriving at the camper.
Both suspects are held without bond in the Oregon County Jail and appeared Wednesday before Associate Circuit Judge Harvey Shane Allen. Each entered a not-guilty plea and stated his plan to apply for a public defender. Moore and Coleman both are scheduled to appear Wednesday morning for counsel status hearings and bond reviews.
The case is being prosecuted by Oregon County Prosecuting Attorney Justin Kelley.
