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# Hays man arrested for electronic solicitation following tip from online watchdog
- URL: https://www.citizenjournal.us/hays-man-arrested-for-electronic-solicitation-following-tip-from-online-watchdog/
- Published: 2026-09-11T13:47:55.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-11T13:47:55.000Z
- Description: Police say the 40-year-old suspect exchanged explicit messages and images with an individual posing as a 13-year-old
- Author: Greg Loving
- Tags: hays, dnn, #news

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A 40-year-old Hays man was arrested Wednesday afternoon on suspicion of electronic solicitation and sexual exploitation after Colorado Ped Patrol, a non-law-enforcement organization that tracks and confronts adults attempting to solicit minors on the internet, alerted police to sexually explicit online communications. Austin Darnall was taken into custody in the 2000 block of Marshall Road.

The Hays Police Department received the group's report at about 1:11 p.m. Wednesday. It indicated that Darnall had been exchanging explicit messages and images since July 2024 with a person posing as a 13-year-old girl. Authorities said the investigation is ongoing, but they are not currently aware of any actual child victims connected to the case.

*This article was written using our proprietary AI system, Cronkite. The final decision to publish this article was made by a human. For more info, read our* [*AI policy*](https://www.citizenjournal.us/ai-policy/)*.*

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