Truck driver accused of trying to lure 13-year-old girl for sex

NEWPORT — A Canadian trucker was arrested at a hotel here Thursday on charges of using text messages to try to set up a sexual liaison with a 13-year-old girl.

Beeja Ram, 39, of Calgary, Alberta, was taken into custody at 11:17 a.m. Thursday at the Rodeway Inn on North Coast Highway where police say he planned to meet the girl, a Newport resident, with the intention of having sexual intercourse with her.

Police were contacted Wednesday by the girl’s mother, who had become aware that her daughter was receiving text messages including sexual content on her cell phone.

Police say the messages came from Ram and that he had been exchanging text messages with the girl since meeting her in Newport in early May.

Ram met the girl and a friend of hers then and got the victim’s cell phone number from the friend, according to police.

Police also found “visual images” of a pornographic nature on the girl’s cell phone that they say were sent by Ram, Newport Police Chief Mark Miranda said.

“Sexting” is the transmission of nude or seminude images between cell phones, computers or other electronic devices.

Ram parked his tractor-trailer rig on Cape Foulweather on Thursday morning and took a cab to the hotel, police said.

Ram was booked into the Lincoln County Jail on charges of online sexual corruption of a child, third-degree sex abuse and coercion. Bail was set at $165,000.

Online sexual corruption of a minor became a crime in Oregon in 2008. Lawmakers wanted to target adults who use the Internet and other communication devices to solicit children for sex.