A Harlingen man is behind bars after having a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old girl that he met on the social networking website Facebook.

Cameron County Sheriff’s Department deputies arrested 19-year-old Victor Manuel Martinez on a sexual assault charge on Thursday.

Investigators allege that Martinez met a 14-year-old girl from La Feria through Facebook back in June 2010.

Court records released in the case on Friday show that the two traded phone numbers and would sent text messages to each other.

Parents Discover

Authorities first learned about the allegations when the girl’s mother reported her as a runaway.

Deputies found the girl inside in Harlingen inside the car of convicted sex offender Michael Nathan Laughlin.

Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) records show that 21-year-old Laughlin is on parole for the rape of an 11-year-old boy and a 6-year-old girl.

Investigators learned that Martinez asked his friend Laughlin to pick up the girl and take her to Laughlin’s apartment at 909 East Monroe Avenue in Harlingen.

Court records show that Martinez and the girl had sex several times at Laughlin’s apartment.

In Custody

Court records show that Cameron County Pct. 7 Justice of the Peace Adam Gonzales issued a warrant for Martinez’s arrest back in October 2010.

Deputies arrested the 19-year-old Harlingen man on Thursday.

Public records show that Martinez’s last known address was at 110 East Pierce Avenue in Harlingen and that he did not appear to have a criminal record.

Martinez appeared before Cameron County Magistrate Judge Luis Saenz on Friday morning where he was issued a $35,000 bond.

The 19-year-old Harlingen man remains in custody at the Cameron County Jail.