Elvis Andres Herrarte is being held in the Canyon County Jail Tuesday on a charge of felony enticing a child over the Internet.

The 28-year-old Caldwell man is accused of sending inappropriate sexual messages on Facebook to a 12-year-old Caldwell girl. Her mother discovered the messages on Aug. 24, and notified police.

Police say Herrarte knew the girl was under 18, but in messages to the girl he expressed interest in having sex with her. He was arrested at 9 p.m. Tuesday, when he went to meet the girl to have sex with her, police said.

Herrarte was not known to the girl's family, a detective told the Statesman. He put out friend requests and claimed to 19 years old. He is from California and has lived in the area for about five months. He does not appear to have a criminal record.

Detectives with the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force were involved in this investigation. Parents are encouraged to read "A Parent's Guide to Facebook" to learn how they can better protect their children from child predators.