ORLANDO, Fla. — A 31-year-old University of Central Florida student was taken into custody Thursday after UCF Police said he stalked and sent obscene messages to a female, 17-year-old student.
- 31-year-old UCF student accused of stalking 17-year-old student
- Female student said Michael Anthony Tran, 31, sent "vulgar" messages
- Tran charged with stalking, soliciting minor for unlawful sexual conduct
Michael Anthony Tran, 31, of West Melbourne, is charged with first-degree stalking and soliciting a minor for unlawful sexual conduct.
Tran is accused of repeatedly texting sexually-driven messages to a 17-year-old UCF student, and not leaving her alone after she asked him to stop contacting her.
The female student met Tran in October 2018 at Knightro’s Restaurant at UCF, in which they exchanged their phone numbers with each other. At the time, Tran told her he was 24 years old, not 31.
The alleged victim told Tran she was not interested in pursuing a relationship with him, but he continued to send unwanted messages, reportedly sending messages to her that she called “vulgar,” according to a police report.
Investigators say the student reached out to a UCF police officer about their exchanges, in which an officer advised her to make it clear to Tran to not contact her. Although she texted Tran to stop contacting her, he allegedly continued.
Police say in a report that the female student eventually avoided certain areas of campus, as she was worried about running into Tran or his friends. She also told investigators the messages she received from him made her emotionally distressed.
Detectives say they got in contact with Tran in January. They interviewed him and were permitted to examine his cell phone, in which they found probable cause to charge him.
Tran remains in custody.
