MISSOULA — A 52-year-old Kalispell man made his initial appearance in Missoula on May 4, 2026, on charges of sex trafficking and child prostitution.
Ernest Crawford is accused of attempting to entice children for sex.
Court documents state detectives from Montana's Human Trafficking Task Force were posing as 12-year-olds and a 16-year-old on websites connected to exploiting kids.
While doing routine work, they had lengthy and sometimes explicit conversations with Crawford.
Crawford made plans to spend a weekend with the 16-year-old, paying her $400 for her time and sexual favors, according to court documents.
Those documents state that Crawford is a sex offender from a previous conviction in Utah.
His bail was set at $250,000, and his next court appearance is set for May 18.
