SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man for alleged child sex crimes.
On Friday, September 2, 2022, the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office conducted a human trafficking operation in the City of Topeka. The goal of the operation was to identify and arrest persons seeking to sexually exploit underage children within Shawnee County, according to Sheriff Brian Hill.
During the course of this operation, an individual in a blue Dodge Ram pickup truck arrived in the 1900 block of SW 10th Street with the intentions of meeting a 14-year-old girl.
Law enforcement officers with the Criminal Investigations Division attempted to stop the man in the parking lot of the Dollar Tree. The man individual quickly fled the scene westbound on SW 10th Street. Officers did not pursue the vehicle since the identity of the individual was known.
Moments later, the individual’s truck was located near SW 7th Street and SW MacVicar Avenue, with the suspect still in the driver’s seat. The suspect's vehicle struck multiple vehicles and driven through several yards after fleeing the area. The truck was inoperable following the collision. Officers quickly responded to the accident and placed 45-year-old Todd A. Bighamof Meriden under arrest.
Bigham is being held on requested charges of electronic solicitation, sexual exploitation of a child, flee or attempt to elude, driving with a suspended driver’s license, violating a lane control signal, failure to yield at a stop sign and reckless driving.