Executive Summary
- Madison Fields, 16, has been missing from Colerain Township, Ohio, since February 13.
- Kyle D. Lawrence of New York was arrested on federal charges of illicit sex and child pornography.
- Investigators confirmed Lawrence met the teen twice in January but is not yet charged with her disappearance.
- Lawrence was previously known to the FBI and had been targeted by vigilante groups in Canada.
Federal agents and local law enforcement have arrested a New York man on charges related to illicit sexual conduct with a minor, uncovering a history of meetings with a 16-year-old Ohio girl who has been missing since mid-February. The FBI announced the arrest of Kyle D. Lawrence, 43, of Buffalo, New York, on February 27, though authorities clarified that he has not yet been charged directly with the teen’s disappearance.
Madison Fields, a resident of Colerain Township, was last seen on February 13 on Harry Lee Lane wearing a black Champion sweatshirt and camouflage pants. While the search for Fields remains active, prosecutors have charged Lawrence with traveling for the purposes of illicit sex and possession of child pornography. According to filings in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, Lawrence admitted to meeting the teen on two separate occasions prior to her disappearance, specifically on January 19 and January 31.
Investigators utilized a combination of digital and physical surveillance to track Lawrence’s movements. The U.S. Attorney’s office stated that license plate readers, surveillance footage, and receipts confirmed that Lawrence picked up Fields and stayed with her at a hotel on January 31. During interrogation following his arrest at his home on February 26, Lawrence reportedly admitted to these meetings and to possessing child sex abuse material.
Court documents reveal that Lawrence was already known to the FBI prior to this investigation. Authorities noted that he had previously been confronted by a vigilante group in Canada under the suspicion that he had traveled there to engage in sexual activity with a minor. Additionally, law enforcement had received cyber tips regarding his Snapchat username. Despite these federal charges, the Colerain Police Department emphasized that Lawrence is not currently charged in connection with Fields’ disappearance on February 13.
“Colerain Police and our partners are working day and night to find Madison and bring her home,” Colerain Township Chief Edwin Cordie III said in a statement regarding the ongoing operation. A date for Lawrence’s initial court appearance has not yet been scheduled; if convicted on the federal charges, he faces up to life in prison.
It is important to note that all individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Investigative Outlook
The arrest of Kyle Lawrence provides law enforcement with a critical hold on a suspect with established proximity to the missing minor, utilizing federal interstate commerce and exploitation statutes to secure custody while the search continues. The decision to charge Lawrence with offenses predating the February 13 disappearance indicates that while investigators have established a pattern of grooming and illicit contact, they are likely still gathering the forensic evidence required to legally connect him to the specific event of her disappearance. This strategy allows authorities to mitigate flight risk and public danger while maintaining the integrity of the active missing persons case.
