Formal charges have now been filed against a 28-year-old man from Duluth who was taken into custody after he allegedly attempted to exchange cigarettes for sex with a group of juveniles at The Collection in south Forsyth.

According to indictment documents obtained by the Forsyth County News, Dominick John Vanwagner has now been formally charged with multiple counts of criminal attempt to commit enticing a child for indecent purposes, criminal attempt to commit child molestation and criminal attempt to commit statutory rape by the Forsyth County Superior Court.

Vanwagner was arrested by the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office at 8:45 p.m. on Saturday, March 2, after deputies arrived at The Collection at Forsyth to investigate reports that an adult male was acting inappropriately towards a group of juveniles, Sheriff’s Office spokesman Cpl. Doug Rainwater said at the time.

Rainwater said that the group of juveniles reported that they were walking around the outdoor mall when a male approached them. Indictment documents allege that Vanwagner offered two girls under the age of 16 cigarettes “in exchange for being able to touch the buttocks of and have sex with” the girls.

After the juveniles left the suspect and the area, Rainwater said that they later encountered the suspect again when he allegedly approached them as they exited The Collection’s public restrooms.

“Vanwagner continued to make verbal advances toward the females for sexual favors,” Rainwater said. “Thankfully, they had already placed a 911 call and our deputies arrived just as Vanwagner was attempting to leave the area.”

The suspect, later identified as Vanwagner, was taken into custody at The Collection and was held in the Forsyth County Jail until he was later released on bond.

This case will be presided over by Superior Court Judge David L. Dickinson and will be prosecuted by assistant district attorney Heather Dunn.