OCALA, Fla. — A missing 16-year-old Ohio girl was found in Central Florida when her video game account was activated in the home of a 31-year-old man, authorities said.
According to Marion County Sheriff’s Office online booking records, Thomas Ebersole, of Dunnellon, was arrested on Jan. 3 and charged with traveling to meet a minor to engage in sexual activity, interfering with child custody and sheltering an unmarried minor, deputies said.
Cox Media Group is not releasing the name of the 16-year-old.
An endangered missing child advisory was issued on Jan. 2 for the teen, who is from Lima, Ohio, WHIO-TV reported. She had last been seen on Dec. 28, according to WLIO-TV.
According to a news release from the sheriff’s office on Thursday, authorities noticed that the teen’s World of Warcraft video game account had been accessed on Jan. 3 at a residence in Dunnellon. Authorities said that Ebersole’s World of Warcraft account was accessed from the same location; deputies said the address was the suspect’s home address.
The teen allegedly met Ebersole through the video game and then communicated with him through the Discord social app, the sheriff’s office said.
Ebersole allegedly drove 14 hours to pick up the teen and returned to Dunnellon, which is located about 85 miles northwest of Orlando, WLIO reported.
When confronted by deputies from the sheriff’s office, Ebersole initially denied knowing the team, according to WTOL-TV. According to the sheriff’s office, Ebersole then allegedly admitted to deputies that he was “in a romantic relationship with the juvenile victim and was going to hide her in his home with plans for her to become his wife.”
Ebersole was arrested and taken to the Marion County Jail, where he remains without bail, the sheriff’s office said.
“The female was found to be in good health and unharmed,” the Lima Police Department said in a statement, according to WLIO. “She was taken into custody by local law enforcement for her safety until arrangements could be made for her transport back to Lima.”
Ebersole is scheduled to appear in court on Feb. 6, online records show.
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