By Pat Culverhouse

A 24-year-old Ruston man has been charged with felony carnal knowledge of a juvenile after allegedly meeting a 14-year-old Webster Parish runaway for the purpose of sex.

Bernardo Cervantes was reportedly arrested by Ruston police shortly after midnight Sunday where he was found with the juvenile. Cervantes is currently being held in the Lincoln Parish Detention Center under a $65,000 bond.

Major Bobby Igo III said contact between the juvenile and Cervantes using a cell phone app. Cervantes reportedly made arrangements to meet the juvenile.

An investigation was initiated a missing person report was filed, Igo said. Using information gathered from various sources, local investigators tracked the juvenile and Cervantes to the Ruston area.

“Our detectives did a very good job of tracking them to the Ruston area. Once we had determined their location, we contacted Ruston police. Thanks to their cooperation, the arrest was made,” Igo said.

According to Ruston police reports, the juvenile told officers she had engaged in consensual sexual relations with Cervantes in Webster Parish. Cervantes reportedly initially denied the allegations, but later admitted to consensual sexual relations in Claiborne Parish.

Webster Parish Sheriff Jason Parker said he hopes parents or guardians would make themselves aware of what their children are doing, both on cell phones and on the Internet.

“It is so easy for kids to download all types of apps to their phones and computers, and dangerous situations can develop,” Parker said. “Every parent of guardian should make it their business to know what their children are watching. I don’t consider it an invasion of their privacy, I think of it as an act of love and concern.”

This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.