Man charged with patronizing prostitution from teens has initial court hearing

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A 35-year-old man was charged Monday on accusations that he tried to pay one or more teenagers for sex at Rock Bridge Memorial State Park.

Boone County prosecutors charged Colton Cranford on Monday with a single count of patronizing prostitution with a person between the ages of 15 and 18.

In a probable cause statement, Missouri Department of Natural Resources state park rangers wrote that they were notified of a man texting a reporting party about taking videos of children performing sex acts and soliciting sex from a minor for money.

Court records state that Cranford has an address in Columbia that is not known. Jail records state that he is from Bowling Green, Kentucky.

The report states that Cranford said he would "pay 2K each," referring to the children.

Cranford was denied bond. The state argued that he should stay in jail because he is a danger to the community.

Cranford's initial court appearance is scheduled for 1 p.m. Monday, where Cranford will appear on video.

According to a motion to set bond, Cranford appears to have no Missouri criminal history.

A new law that went into effect on Friday made patronizing prostitution of a person younger than 18 years old but older than 15 a Class D felony. Before, it was a Class E felony.