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A 22-year-old Roy man has been charged with raping a 17-year-old girl he met through an online chat line and dating service. William Anthony Hargrave faces one count of first-degree felony rape and is scheduled to make his initial court appearance Wednesday. Hargrave was booked into the Weber County jail on Thursday. He has since bailed out after posting a $20,000 bond. Roy Police Chief Greg Whinham said the girl met Hargrave on the Internet through the Livelinks chat line and dating service. The two exchanged e-mails and phone numbers, and Hargrave arranged to meet her at the end of November, Whinham said. They eventually went back to Hargrave's house, where he allegedly assaulted her on Nov. 27, according to police and court documents. The girl reported the crime within a week. Police served a search warrant on Hargrave on Thursday. Whinham had a strong warning about the potential perils of online dating. "The bottom line is when you meet someone you don't know, you could be meeting [serial killer] Ted Bundy, and that to me is a serious message to give to young folks." Hargrave had only been involved with Livelinks for a short period of time, Whinham said. - Elizabeth Neff
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