▁girl , ▁then ▁ 1 6 , ▁told ▁investig ators ▁she ▁communic ated ▁with ▁Cl iffe ▁via ▁text ▁message . ▁According ▁to ▁police , ▁Cl iffe ▁told ▁officers ▁he ▁believed ▁the ▁girl ▁was ▁ 2 3 ▁years ▁old , ▁and ▁the ▁te en ager ▁also ▁said ▁she ▁wasn ' t ▁sure ▁he ▁knew ▁she ▁was ▁ 1 6 . ▁To ▁make ▁an ▁account ▁on ▁the ▁Se ek ing Arr ang ement . com ▁website , ▁you ▁must ▁enter ▁that ▁you ▁are ▁at ▁least ▁ 1 8 ▁or ▁older ▁in ▁your ▁profile . ▁The ▁case ▁started ▁in ▁May ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁when ▁the ▁King ▁County ▁Sher iff ' s ▁Office ▁received ▁a ▁Child ▁Prote ct ive ▁Services ▁refer ral . ▁ ▁The ▁age ▁of ▁consent ▁in ▁Washington ▁State ▁is ▁ 1 6 . ▁ ▁Ple a ▁deal ▁and ▁sent encing ▁ ▁On ▁October ▁ 8 , ▁ 2 0 1 8 , ▁King ▁County ▁pro sec utors ▁offered ▁Cl iffe ▁a ▁ple a ▁deal ▁which ▁he ▁accepted . ▁The ▁original ▁charge ▁was ▁lower ed ▁consider ably ▁to ▁" Ass ault ▁ 2 nd ▁degree " ▁even ▁though ▁no ▁physical ▁assault ▁took ▁place . ▁This ▁practice , ▁known ▁as ▁" Pro sec utorial ▁dis cret ion ," ▁is ▁a ▁form ▁of ▁ple a ▁b arg aining ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁resolve ▁a ▁case ▁in ▁which ▁there ▁are ▁mit ig ating ▁circumstances ▁instead ▁of ▁going ▁to ▁trial . ▁ ▁This ▁ple a ▁deal ▁was ▁a ▁form ▁of ▁Al ford ▁Ple a , ▁where by ▁a