Providence Man Arrested in Middleboro Child Enticement Case

MIDDLEBORO (WBSM) — Middleboro Police arrested a 28-year-old Providence, Rhode Island man Sunday for allegedly attempting to meet up with an underage child after sending them sexually explicit messages.

Police Chief Robert Ferreira Jr. said that Efrain Ixcuna was arrested on September 14 on charges of enticement of a child under 16, attempting to commit a crime, and reckless sexual endangerment of a child.

How the Investigation Began

The investigation began on September 5, when a parent informed Middleboro Police their child had been receiving inappropriate and sexual messages from an unknown male who had initially made contact via Snapchat. The male then continued communication via text messages, claiming to be 16 years old.

Ferreira said that the department’s detective unit launched an investigation and continued undercover communication with the male through the child’s phone. He was repeatedly informed that the child was underage, but he allegedly continued sending “sexually explicit messages with grooming behavior, including repeatedly asking for photographs and in-person meetings,” according to Ferreira.

Detectives Arrange Undercover Meeting

Detectives then arranged for a meeting with the male on Sunday, September 14, and arrested him at the location without incident, identifying him as Ixcuna.

Police Find Gifts in Vehicle

Ferreira said a search of Ixcuna’s vehicle “revealed what appeared to be gifts intended for the child, including jewelry and a stuffed animal.”

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Ixcuna is scheduled to be arraigned Monday in Wareham District Court.

Chief Praises Parent and Detectives

"First, I'd like to highlight the actions of an observant and vigilant parent," Ferreira said. "This case should serve as an important reminder for all parents and guardians to maintain a close and vigilant eye on their children's social media presence."

"I'd also like to commend the Middleboro Detective Unit for their thoughtful and thorough investigation, which led to an arrest before a young child was further victimized," he said. "Our detectives demonstrated extremely high professional standards while handling this investigation from the start. In this case, they not only made an arrest, but they also prevented a potentially far more serious crime."