Brooklyn Man Using Dog To Lure Young Girls Arrested, Cops Say

BROOKLYN, NY — A man who police say has been using his dog to try and lure young girls from Brooklyn into an apartment has been caught, according to the NYPD.

Police announced late Tuesday that they had found and charged Brandon Rodriguez with two counts of acting in a manner injurious to a child and one count unlawful imprisonment.

The arrest comes less than 24 hours after cops asked the public's help to find the 25-year-old, who they said had used his husky to prey on at least three pre-teen girls in northern Brownsville, one of whom he touched inappropriately, according to police.

Rodriguez approached the first girl, a 13-year-old, around 7:40 a.m. near Osborn Street and Pitkin Avenue, police said.

After asking her to take a picture of him and his dog, he led her into an apartment building and kept her from leaving by taking her backpack and putting his dog in front of the door, police said. The girl was able to get away when a friend called out to her and Rodriguez fled, cops said.

He then tried the same scheme twice on Tuesday morning, asking a 12-year-old on Christopher Avenue and an 11-year-old near Watkins Street and Pitkin Avenue to take a picture of him and the dog, police said.

The girls both became frightened and ran away from Rodriguez when he tried to lead them into an apartment building, cops said.

Rodriguez lived just a few blocks from where the crimes took place, records show.