Schertz man accused of kidnapping 13-year-old he met online

SAN ANTONIO (KTSA News) – A Schertz man has been indicted on charges of kidnapping and child exploitation.

Prosecutors say 34-year-old Kraig Van Winkle met a 13-year-old online and traveled to Arkansas last month to meet the child. He reportedly brought the 13-year-old to his home in Schertz with the intent of engaging in sexual activity.

When the 13-year-old was reported missing, tips from the public lead investigators to Van Winkle. The FBI arrested him at his residence January 11.  By waiving his arraignment in federal court this week, he automatically pleaded not guilty.

If Van Winkle is convicted, he could get up to 20 years in federal prison for the kidnapping charge and 10 years to life on the charge of transportation with intent to engage in sexual activity charge.

The San Antonio FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, which includes the San Antonio Police Department and the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office, investigated this case with assistance from the FBI in Little Rock and the Springdale Police Department in Springdale, Arkansas. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Thompson is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

This case was investigated as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice.