Man Charged With Attempted Kidnapping After Allegedly Approaching A 15-Year-Old Girl For Sex

PONTIAC (WWJ) - A 55-year-old registered sex offender stands accused of trying to abduct a teen girl.

Oakland County Sheriff's officials say Keith Dion Wheat approached a 15-year-old girl asking for sex, Thursday afternoon, near Caesar Chavez and Johnson in Pontiac.

According Undersheriff Mike McCabe, the man followed the teen in a van and asked for her phone number.

"He then got out of the van and came up to her and grabbed her by the arm and said that he wanted to have sexual relations with her," McCabe told WWJ Newsradio 950's Beth Fisher. "She was able to break away from him and run down the road screaming for help."

A concerned citizen stopped to help the girl, called 911, and a description of the suspect and the van was broadcast to authorities in the area.

Deputies located the vehicle nearby and Wheat and another man, the 42-year-old driver, were taken into custody for questioning. The driver was released, and Wheat was taken to the Oakland County Jail.

He was arraigned Friday afternoon on charges of attempted kidnapping and accosting a child for immoral purposes.  Bond was set at t $250,000 cash.

MacCabe said, Wheat, who is a habitual offender, could face up to nine years in prison if convicted in this case.

"He was convicted of criminal sexual conduct in the third degree in 2001. He's got a couple other felony convictions on his record for dangerous drugs , larceny and domestic violence," McCabe said.