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A middle school principal from Michigan has been arrested for allegedly trying to rape a teenage girl. The Broome County Sheriff's Office announced that Johnson City Middle School Principal Daniel Erickson, 55, was taken into custody after trying to meet up with a 16-year-old girl he met on Snapchat.
Officials said that Erickson had been talking to the girl for about a week, pretending to be a younger adult. He unsuccessfully tried to meet up with her several times, including once at her house.
On Friday (July 7), Erickson arranged to meet the girl at a remote location and showed up with chicken nuggets and a Grimace milkshake from McDonald's. He also had a box of condoms with him.
However, when Erickson arrived, police were there waiting and took him into custody. Officials said they received a tip about the messages on July 5 and noted that the girl was never in any danger.
Erickson is being held without bail on charges of luring a child, a class E felony, and attempted rape in the third degree, a Class A misdemeanor.
"As a father, I know this is a nightmare scenario for any parent. We entrust our schools with the care and safety of our children, and to have an individual violate that trust, abuse their power, and prey on a very student charged in our schools' care is beyond disgusting," Sheriff Fred Akshar said. "If anyone in our community finds themselves in a similar situation, whether you are a student or a parent of a student, it's critically important that you come forward immediately and make your school and law enforcement aware. A keyword in the charges is attempted because this horrific situation might have been worse if not for the family, the school district, and law enforcement all working together to make sure Mr. Erickson was held accountable for his actions."