This Kennewick man left work to have sex with a teen, police say. Now he’s locked up

A Kennewick man remains locked up on $100,000 for allegedly trying to have sex with a 13-year-old girl after chatting via text messages for two months.

Shayn T. Hale, 29, said several times in his messages that he “could get in trouble for this stuff,” according to court documents.

Yet, on Dec. 4, he wrapped up his work day as a mechanic and drove across the Tri-Cities to meet up with the girl in Richland, documents said.

Hale was met by detectives with the Southeast Regional Internet Crimes Against Children task force.

It turns out the girl he had been talking with was an undercover detective who responded to Hale’s ad posted on an online personals site.

Hale now is charged in Benton County Superior Court with attempted second-degree child rape. His trial is set for Jan. 28.

Court documents show that Hale’s ad was seeking someone interested in either a one-night stand or being a “discrete” no-strings-attached friend with benefits.

Hale, who lives with his girlfriend, was 28 when he made the posting, and described himself as being in good shape, busy and a mechanic.

He wrote that he was looking for someone “cute, any age or body type, single or not,” documents said. He wanted the other person to live in the Tri-Cities.

The detective reportedly made it clear throughout their exchanges that the girl responding to the ad was only 13.

Hale acknowledged that he “has to be careful” because of the girl’s age, court documents said. He planned to bring condoms.

In an interview after his arrest, Hale admitted he drove to Richland intending to have sex with a 13-year-old girl, documents said.

Hale was told that if he is released on bond, he is to have no contact with minors and is to stay off the internet except for work purposes. He also must surrender his passport.

This story was originally published December 17, 2018 at 6:45 PM.