The case against an Odebolt man for allegedly enticing a minor earlier this month was dismissed earlier this week. According to Carroll County District Court records, 44-year-old James Cranston had planned to meet up with a 15-year-old male in Carroll on July 1 after expressing intent via Snapchat to have sexual intercourse. The victim contacted the Carroll Police Department, and Cranston was taken into custody, pending charges of Enticing a minor under 16, a Class D felony. Upon further investigation, the court dismissed this case due to the extent of the potential charge. Cranston did not contact the victim at the proposed meeting site and, therefore, did not meet the requirements for the enticing charge. In the motion for the case to be dismissed, it states that while not making contact with the victim, Cranston violates an attempt to entice a minor, an aggravated misdemeanor, instead of the original pending charge. The court dismissed Cranston’s case on Tuesday, and all fees associated with the case will be taxed to the state.
