Waco, Tx (FOX44) – A California man has been arrested following an investigation into communications he is accused of having with a pre-teen in the Waco area.

McLennan County Sheriff Parnell McNamara said 29-year-old William Scott Kenneth Yaple was being held in California and is expected to be extradited to McLennan County in the near future.

Sheriff McNamara said in late February detectives began investigating based on a complaint regarding social media communications with the child.

Detectives identified Yaple as a suspect and learned that he is currently a registered sex offender with a history of Criminal Sexual Conduct in Michigan as well as having been arrested in 2022 in California for multiple counts related to Possession of Child Porn/Obscene Material.  Yaple was released from jail in California just 2 months prior to his alleged initiation of contact with the local pre-teen victim. 

Following their investigation, detectives are filing felony charges of sexual performance of a child under 14 years old and online solicitation of a minor-explicit communication.

McLennan County Sheriff’s Office detectives coordinated with California authorities and Yaple was arrested in California on Tuesday.

Sheriff McNamara said Yaple’s i-Pad was forensically analyzed and additional evidence was obtained.