The Woodlands man arrested after meeting girl at Harris County school

A The Woodlands man was arrested in the parking lot of a Harris County elementary school after investigators say he tried to meet a 13-year-old girl he had contacted online and exchanged explicit messages with.

Brian Blaine, 65, of the Grogan Mill Villages subdivision, was booked on a charge of online solicitation of a minor and was being held on $200,000 bond, Precinct 4 Constable Mark Herman said. Herman said the messages were “repulsive” and that Blaine had been grooming the girl.

The case began when the 13-year-old Harris County girl told her parents about the adult’s messages. Her parents gave investigators access to her phone and social media communications, allowing deputies to trace the exchange and set up an undercover operation.

Undercover officers then engaged Blaine online and arranged a meeting near an elementary school in Precinct 4’s North Central district. Herman said school officials were notified and the campus was briefly placed on lockdown while investigators carried out the operation. He said the meeting took place on school grounds but away from the building, and no students were endangered. Deputies arrested Blaine in the school parking lot when he arrived.

The investigation is being handled jointly with Montgomery County Constable Ryan Gable’s office because some of the early contact took place in Montgomery County. Herman said investigators have also identified other children who spent time at Blaine’s house and plan to interview them to determine whether there are more victims. At this point, he said, there is no evidence of any other confirmed victims.

Herman said investigators saw references in the messages to younger children, including children as young as 12. He also said Blaine is likely retired. If convicted on the charge discussed by officials, Herman said, Blaine could face a prison sentence as long as 99 years.

Precinct 4 officials said they plan to distribute a media release and an electronic photo of Blaine to encourage additional witnesses or victims to come forward. Anyone with information is asked to contact Precinct 4 Lt. Jeff Lee at 832-927-6158 as investigators continue to look for signs of anyone else who may have been drawn into the alleged online contact.