ZACHARY — A 17-year-old from Zachary was found safe after being reported missing earlier this week, Louisiana State Police said, and reports say a Kentucky man was arrested for allegedly kidnapping her.

Zachary Police Chief, Darryl Lawrence says detectives were notified about the missing teen on Tuesday. Lawrence says detectives spoke with the parents and friends of the teen. He says they discovered the teen had communicated with 37-year-old Michael Jay on social media.  

"Once they realized this was a social media event, we contacted state police," Lawrence said. 

LSP sent out a Level II endangered/missing child alert around 9 a.m. on Tuesday. 

"We believe that she thought it was someone her own age. So, she was tricked into believing that he was 17 or 18 years old, and it turned out that this guy was much older," Lawrence said. 

Lawrence says they believe the teen made contact with Jay near her home in Zachary, and left with him.

"Once we found out whose social media handle it came back to, we noticed that he was a truck driver and we got the information on his phone through our license plate readers, and noticed that he was in that area at that particular time," Lawrence said. 

Zachary Police pinged Jay's cell phone to the Love's Truck Stop in Ardmore, Oklahoma. Lawrence says they got in touch with the Ardmore Police Department, officers found the girl and arrested Jay.

"She believed she was going to be transported to Mississippi to another person, and this adult was just going to transport her. She unfortunately found her way to Oklahoma," Ardmore Police Department Public Information Officer, Sgt. Matt Dunn said. 

Jay is awaiting extradition to Louisiana and faces charges of simple kidnapping, indecent behavior with juveniles and contributing to the delinquency of juveniles. 

"A 17-year-old can't consent to go with an adult across state lines, or really anywhere, without their parent's permission," Dunn said.

Zachary police say they are continuing to investigate the alleged kidnapping.

"It could have possibly been trafficking. We don't know just yet, but hopefully we'll find out everything we need to know about this guy," Lawrence said.