Miller County, Arkansas — A 20-year-old Texas man is now behind bars facing multiple serious charges after authorities say he sexually groomed a 10-year-old girl he first contacted through TikTok, then threatened her life when she tried to cut off contact.
Raymond Oscar Harlen faces charges including sexual grooming of a child, sexual indecency with a child, sexual extortion, grooming a minor for future sex trafficking, terroristic threatening in the first degree, and unlawful use of a communication device.
According to investigators, the disturbing contact began when Harlen commented on the young girl’s TikTok posts. The two eventually moved to text messaging. Even after the child told Harlen she was 13 years old, he allegedly continued communicating with her. At some point, the conversations shifted to a game of truth or dare, which authorities say quickly escalated into sexually explicit exchanges. Harlen then allegedly sent a non-explicit image of himself to pressure the girl into sending him an explicit photo of herself.
When the girl blocked his number, Harlen allegedly used a second phone number to contact her and demand she unblock him. She refused.
What followed alarmed investigators. Harlen allegedly sent a 12-second video showing someone holding a Glock-style handgun, with multiple other firearms visible on a table in the background. He then sent a threatening message warning the girl that it was only a matter of time before she heard guns blast through her house.
The girl’s mother discovered the messages and contacted the Miller County Sheriff’s Office on May 18. Detectives traced the phone numbers back to Harlen, and his driver’s license photo matched an image he had reportedly sent the victim.
Harlen was arrested on June 17 in Johnston County, Texas, and extradited to Arkansas. He is currently held at the Miller County Detention Center on $500,000 bail.
Parents are urged to closely monitor their children’s social media activity and report any suspicious contact immediately.
