State Police arrested a registered sex offender accused of having sex with an underage girl.
Officials say the investigation began on October 23 after a state trooper was dispatched to a home on the unit block of Country Side in Felton, Delaware for a report of a possible trespass complaint.
When the trooper arrived, police say he was met by 29-year-old Edward Bassett, who lived in the development with his mother and three children.
Officials say Bassett told the trooper that a 14-year-old female runaway from the Middletown area had been living in his home since July of 2013 and that detectives had been at his home earlier looking for her. Police say the teen was picked up earlier that afternoon by police near a Walmart and returned to her home safely.
Bassett was not charged with any crime at the time. That changed however after detectives followed up on the incident to investigate allegations that Bassett and the girl were involved sexually.
Police say an investigation revealed that Bassett is a Tier II (medium risk) sex offender who was convicted in December of 1997 for unlawful sexual contact. According to investigators, Bassett befriended the 14-year-old girl on Facebook about a year ago. Police say the teen girl ran away from her home to live with Bassett and the two became involved in a sexual relationship over a one-month period.
Bassett was arrested on Friday and charged with rape and unlawful sexual contact by a sex offender. He was arraigned and committed to the James. T. Vaughn Correctional Center on $580,000 secured bond.
Photo Credit: Delaware State Police