A New Hampshire man was arrested while investigating the disappearance of a teenage girl in White County

WHITE COUNTY, Ark. – What started with a child missing a school bus on April 29 ended with the arrest of a New Hampshire man at the Memphis Airport.

The White County Sheriff’s Office said Tuesday that 49-year-old Thomas Jordan of New Hampshire was arrested at the Memphis airport after attempting to board a flight to Orlando, Florida. Investigators said Jordon is charged with two crimes: human trafficking of a minor and internet stalking of a child.

Jordan is currently being held at the White County Detention Center on a $500,000 bond.

Officials said the investigation began when a teenage girl was supposed to be on a Beebe school bus but never made it to school. A short time later, school officials made contact with the young girl by phone and determined she was safe and in the area, investigators said.

Court records show that a resource officer and the assistant principal picked up the girl and drove her to the sheriff’s office, where she spoke with investigators. The affidavit said investigators determined Jordan picked up the girl and later dropped her off when she said she didn’t want to go to New Hampshire with him.

Records show the girl told investigators she had been having a sexual relationship with Jordan since January.

Investigators later determined that Jordan had what they called “inappropriate contact” with the girl between picking her up and dropping her off. They also discovered that Jordan had learned of the investigation and drove to the Memphis airport to catch a flight to Orlando.

Sheriff’s Office investigators said they asked the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Air Marshalls Service and the Memphis Police Department for help in finding Jordan and taking him into custody, which they succeeded in doing.

Investigators said additional information was discovered after officers with the Arkansas Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force contacted the New Hampshire ICAC, which led to the two felony charges.

Jordan’s first appearance in plea and arraignment court is scheduled for June 4.