A 54-year-old man is accused of commercial sex abuse after he allegedly paid at least two teenage girls for sex with cash, marijuana, alcohol and vaping supplies.
Julius A. Owolabi of Vancouver appeared Friday via Zoom on the allegation, as well as third-degree child rape, court records show. Judge David Gregerson set his bail at $50,000. He will be arraigned Aug. 20.
On Wednesday, Vancouver police received information about Owolabi displaying “grooming” behaviors with girls between the ages of 14 and 17, by providing them with marijuana, alcohol, vaping supplies and cash. In return, Owolabi demanded the girls send him inappropriate photos and videos via Snapchat, according to an affidavit of probable cause.
Detectives began watching Owolabi’s residence Thursday. They followed him as he drove to a Chase Bank branch, used the ATM and then drove to a marijuana shop. He was seen leaving the shop with a bag and returning home. That evening, police followed him to an apartment complex on Northeast 112th Avenue, where he picked up a 15-year-old and a 14-year-old girl. He drove off, nearly causing a crash in the 1500 block of 136th Avenue, at which point, police stopped the vehicle, the affidavit says.
