Pro Tennis Player Charged With Trying to Have Sex With Girl, 13

Updated, 10:41 a.m.:

A Bradenton man and pro tennis player has been arrested by the Manatee County Sheriff's Office after he allegedly sent sexually explicit text messages and photos to a 13-year-old girl and tried to have sex with her.

According to ABC Action News, Pierre-Ludovic Duclos-Lanier, 27, is a Canadian professional tennis player. 

Authorites say Duclos-Lanier, of 1913 25th Ave. W., met the girl at a tennis court at Jessie P. Miller Elementary School earlier this month and later spoke to the girl's mother about offering her tennis lessons.

A few days later, according to a probable cause affidavit, Duclos-Lanier began texting with the girl, asking her "if she was interested in 'hooking up' " and about how "nice looking" and physically fit the two were.

The conversation "turned sexual" and Duclos-Lanier talked about having sex with the girl, the affidavit states. He later sent the girl a photo of his penis, authorities say.

Sheriff's deputies were made aware of the conversations and photo and opened an investigation.

On Thursday, the girl initiated another chat with Duclos-Lanier that was continued by deputies and that was sexual in nature, including another photo of Duclos-Lanier's penis. Investigators say the suspect then arranged to meet the girl at Starbucks, 5783 Manatee Ave. W., to pick her up and take her back to his home to have sex with her.

According to the arrest report, when Duclos-Lanier got there, he was arrested by sheriff's office detectives waiting for him.

Deputies say Duclos-Lanier made a full confession to the following offenses and was charged accordingly: Use of a computer to seduce/solicit/entice a child to commit sex acts, travel to seduce/solicit/entice a child to commit sex act, two charges of transmission of material harmful to minors by electronic device or equipment and attempted lewd and lascivious battery.

The defendant’s vehicle was seized and placed into the sheriff's storage facility.

Duclos-Lanier, who turned pro in 2007, is ranked 610th in the world, according to the ATP World Tour website.

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Editor's note: This story was updated with details and further information released by the Manatee County Sheriff's Office.