A registered sex offender accused of posing as a teenage boy online to target a girl in Escondido was found competent to stand trial Friday, confirmed prosecutors.
Rennard Cawkwell, 46, of Oceanside allegedly tracked down the teenager after pretending to be a 17-year-old boy in online chats, Escondido police said.
Prosecutors said he used inappropriate language via messaging and then allegedly showed up outside her home in Escondido in late March, just a day after his parole ended.
When Cawkwell was spotted outside, family members and neighbors intervened, alerting the authorities, said police.
He will next appear in court on Nov. 14. According to prosecutors, his bail remained at $1 million.
Shortly before his arrest, Escondido Police Detective Jeff Udvarhelyi traced his Oceanside residence while working with the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC).
There are three offenses for Cawkwell listed on the Megan’s Law website. That includes possessing child pornography and attempting to commit lewd acts with a minor.
