A Tri-Cities girl was looking for a summer job. She was offered money for sex, instead

A Tri-Cities teen who turned to her Facebook friends for help finding a legitimate summer job ended up with a sexual proposal.

Tyler F. Ragland, now 20, allegedly offered to help her get a job at one of his family’s Tri-Cities restaurants. Then, he offered to pay the 15-year-old for sex.

Ragland is charged in Benton County Superior Court with communication with a minor for immoral purposes.

He’s been sent a summons to appear Dec. 19 so he can enter a plea to the new charge.

Court records show Ragland now lives in Tennessee.

According to Benton County sheriff’s deputies, the girl made a Facebook posting in June 2018 that she was looking for either a summer or a permanent job, and would be 16 by summer’s end.

Ragland replied to the post that his family owns a couple Tri-Cities restaurants and that he would see if he could get the girl a job at one of them.

At the end of their conversation, Ragland said he had a “quick question” for the girl.

“If you are wanting money I have an idea,” he wrote, according to court documents.

Ragland then asked the girl if she had a boyfriend. She said “yes,” and he told her nevermind.

“My idea was you come over to my place and we could do some stuff and I would pay you,” he allegedly wrote.

The girl noted that it’s illegal to pay for sex.

Documents show Ragland replied, “Not if the other person consents. ... Plus no one would need to know. ... What do you say? ... I’ll pay $30 each time.”

Ragland, contacted by deputies, allegedly admitted that his messages meant he wanted to have sexual contact with the teen.