KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The Department of Justice said a man was arrested in Knoxville on Wednesday on charges of taking a minor across state lines with the intent to have sex.
They said the Joplin Police Department in Missouri received a report of a missing 14-year-old after the child's parents said they were missing from their home, on Jan. 27. They said the teen was last seen in the house the night before
The police department later found a Snapchat account for the teen and accessed it after a family member guessed the teen's password, according to court records. There, they found messages with Bruey where they discussed getting married, according to court records.
Authorities checked a license plate reader and found that his car had been spotted in Knoxville. They then asked for help from the FBI.
Officers with the Knoxville Police Department found the car in a hotel parking lot during the evening of Jan. 28. While waiting for back-up, they said Bruey left the hotel and walked to his truck, and they said they detained him in the parking lot.
They then checked with the hotel and learned the room he rent. Officers knocked on the door, but it was not answered, so they used a room key to enter. Inside, they said they found the teen.
They also said there were open containers of alcohol and the smell of marijuana. The FBI then got a state search warrant, and the teen's parents said it was okay to search their phone. The teen said they hadn't used it since Jan. 27. Authorities said Bruey's phone was too damaged to be examined.
Bruey then told authorities that they had driven from Joplin to Knoxville, according to court records. He also said they had sex in Missouri before arriving in Tennessee.
The teen also said they first in a church parking lot in Joplin and said they spoke through Snapchat. The teen said they didn't know what Bruey looked like when he picked them up.
The 14-year-old also said they had sex in the hotel, and said while Bruey was in the show they drank alcohol.
Bruey appeared in court on Feb. 1, and the DOJ said a trail is expected to be scheduled sometime this year.