Rick Crawford,
a former NASCAR truckseries driver, faces a federal charge of attempting to entice a 12-year-old girl for sex. He was arrested in Lake Mary this past week.
Former NASCAR truck-series driver Rick Crawford is facing a federal charge of attempting to entice a minor for sex.
Crawford, 59, was arrested Thursday in Lake Mary and is being held on no bond in the Seminole County Jail.
Court records show Crawford had been communicating with an undercover deputy since Feb. 10 about meeting up with a 12-year-old girl for sex.
For more than two weeks, the deputy and Crawford negotiated about a time and place to meet, as well as how much money Crawford would pay for the encounter.
Ultimately, Crawford agreed to pay between $50 and $75, and said he would meet the purported father and daughter in a parking lot on Lake Mary Boulevard near Interstate 4, court records show.
Crawford was taken into custody after he arrived at the parking lot.
While being questioned by authorities, Crawford said he “found it hard to believe” a 12-year-old would be involved in the meeting and said he wouldn’t have followed through if the girl was underage, records show.
He raced in the truck series from 1997 until 2013, starting 336 races and tallying five victories.
Ultimately, the price for sex with the child was agreed upon: between $50 and $75.