The Sheriff of Guthrie County is warning parents and children in the area about a suspicious person who has contacted young people in an apparent attempt to solicit them for a movie role. Sheriff Marty Arganbright told KJAN News a man who claims to be from Los Angeles has been communicating with young people through Facebook, about making a movie early next year, in Guthrie Center. Arganbright says the man has made contact with at least a half-dozen people, who are in the eighth-grade to high school age group.

He says some of the young people responded to his inquiry, which Arganbright says sets the stage for their classmates and friends to be solicited as well. The Sheriff says he was alerted to the attempted contacts by school officials. He says students in Dallas, Polk and other nearby counties have also been contacted by the individual in question.

The man identifies himself as “Dan Worthington.” Arganbright said his office has been in contact with the FBI, which advised him he should continue to investigate the matter. He says there haven’t been any new reports of attempted contact with students in Guthrie County since last Monday or Tuesday, but if adults hear of any such attempts, they should contact law enforcement. Parents in the Panorama and Guthrie Center School Districts received notices about the dangers of having a “Public” profile on Facebook. He says “Worthington” contacted one student through a “Public” profile page, and from there attempted to contact that person’s friends.

Sheriff Arganbright says there are some rules Facebook users of any age, but especially young people, should follow. Don’t arrange to meet with someone, don’t put your picture on your page or any identifying information, such as name, home address and school.

Arganbright says Worthington isn’t being charged with anything, but his intentions are suspicious.