Ypsilanti man sentenced to prison for using 'modeling opportunities' to lure girls into sex

YPSILANTI, Mich. (FOX 2) - An Ypsilanti man who used "modeling opportunities" to lure teen girls into sex was sentenced to 25 years in prison Thursday.

According to federal authorities, Andrew Joseph Vinyard, 43, began offering two 14-year-old victims "modeling opportunities" and money in exchange for sex.

One of the victim's parents contacted police, who used an undercover officer to bust Vinyard.

That officer posed as a 14-year-old girl from the same school as the victims. The officer messaged Vinyard on Instagram about the opportunity. Authorities say Vinyard offered to purchase the undercover officer a new phone in exchange for sex acts and for the undercover officer taking sexually explicit photos with the phone. Vinyard also offered the undercover officer $500 to get together and get high on cocaine, so he could "take her virginity" and take sexually explicit photographs of her.

Authorities say he requested multiple photos and videos of the undercover officer engaging in sexual activity. Vinyard also solicited live video texts of the undercover officer, so he could direct the undercover officer to perform sex acts on herself.

"Protecting children from dangerous, serial child predators like Andrew Vinyard is a priority for our office," said James A. Tarasca, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Detroit Field Office. "His repeated attempts to lure and exploit children are deplorable, and our young people are safer with him behind bars. I am proud of the FBI, our law enforcement partners, and the concerned parents that came forward to hold this man accountable."