Teen is kidnapped in sex sting gone wrong

A California teen was kidnapped after she and friends tried to lure a man in an amateur underage sex sting gone wrong, authorities said.

The group of teenage girls used social media to contact an older man who allegedly was looking to have sex with underage girls, the San Diego County Sheriff ’ s Department said in a statement.

The group exchanged texts with the man and agreed to meet Sunday near a Starbucks in Vista. Once there, the man convinced a 17- year- old girl to get in his vehicle to talk, then drove off with her in the car, the department said.

Robert Dreyfus, 32, faces felony charges of kidnapping and other related offenses. Sheriff ’ s deputies said Dreyfus drove several miles without the teen’s consent.

The girl texted her friends who contacted police. Sheriff ’ s deputies called Dreyfus, and the driver pulled over, the department said.

The girl fled, and authorities arrested Dreyfus shortly after. It wasn’t immediately clear whether he had an attorney.

The sheriff ’ s department said Monday that the man and teen did not appear to have a previous relationship other than the texts exchanged. The girl was unharmed.

“The Sheriff ’ s Department strongly discourages the public from setting up meetings or contacting anyone for the purpose of catching an individual who is committing a crime,” the department said in a statement. “These types of situations can be extremely dangerous and should be handled by your local law enforcement agency.”