Odessan accused of sexually abusing a runaway

ODESSA, Texas (KMID/KPEJ) – An Odessa man was arrested earlier this week in connection with an alleged sexual abuse of a child in February. Shane Walker Gilbert was charged with sexual abuse of a child, a second-degree felony.

According to Odessa police, officers were notified on February 29 that a 14-year-old girl had reported sexual harassment to her father. During a subsequent forensic interview in Illinois, the young teen told an investigator that when she ran away from home in mid-February, she had made contact with a 24-year-old Odessa man known only as “Shane.”

The teen told investigators that she met Shane through a friend and communicated with him through social media. She said Shane knew she was underage and that he did not want to tell her his last name because of the age difference. The teen then said that Shane approached her for sex several times while she was in Odessa and described the location of those encounters.

On May 21, investigators identified the suspect as Gilbert and spoke to a friend who confirmed that Gilbert and the 14-year-old girl were “high” and the situation escalated in a “sexual manner.”

After further investigation, officers confirmed additional details revealed in the forensic interview and obtained a warrant for Gilbert’s arrest. He was taken into custody on May 28 and has since been released from jail on $25,000 bail.