Hawthorne, California – From www.latimes.com- A registered sex offender has been arrested in Hawthorne after allegedly attempting to extort money and sex from a female in exchange for her lost dog, police said today.

Alfredo Dempkey, 27, of Lancaster, who is currently on parole, found the dog and called the owner, apparently finding the number on the dog’s tag, Hawthorne police said. Police did not provide the age of the female Dempkey spoke to.

[Updated at 12:45 p.m.: Police confirmed the female was a 17-year-old girl.]

At first he demanded cash, but when the she told him she didn’t have enough money, he asked for sexual favors, police said.

They arranged to meet in a McDonald’s parking lot, but when he arrived with the dog Friday night, Dempkey was met by the owner’s father and police, who arrested him. The dog was returned to the owner.

Prior to the arrest, police saw Dempkey loitering in the area of a prostitution sting, and he apparently tried to make contact with the undercover officer.