ST. CLAIRSVILLE — A Wheeling man was arrested Wednesday after allegedly trying to meet a 14-year-old girl through the internet. That Facebook account the man allegedly interacted with was run by the St. Clairsville Police Department.

Gary Spence, 33, was arrested, according to the St. Clairsville Police Department, after he allegedly started talking on Facebook with who he believed to be a 14-year-old girl. The department alleges that Spence started with harmless chat with the account, but the conversation became explicit in nature.

Spence was allegedly advised by the decoy account to meet the girl in the parking lot across the street from Orchard Terrace Apts. Officers from the St. Clairsville Police Department and the Belmont County Sheriff’s Office got into place to apprehend the suspect.

Spence allegedly messaged the decoy account providing updates to his location and what car he was driving. Once a positive identification was made on the vehicle, officers apprehended Spence and took him into custody at 9:10 p.m.

After searching the vehicle, police allegedly found a blunt and box of condoms in a bag. Once at the St. Clairsville Police Department, Spence reportedly gave officers permission to examine his phone.

Spence was transported to the Belmont County Sheriff’s Office and a report will be sent to the Belmont County Prosecutor’s Office for review.

Photographs of evidence will be taken and chat logs will be printed out and forwarded to the Prosecutor’s Office when available.