An Opp man was jailed Wednesday for allegedly sexting a 13-year-old girl using a popular handheld video gaming device.

Jeremy Sanders, 20, is facing one count of electronic solicitation after the child’s mother took the device – a Nintendo DS – to the Covington County Sheriff’s Office. The investigation revealed that the conduct had been ongoing “for a long time,” said Chief Investigator Ted Motley.

Sanders was booked into the Covington County Jail and held on a $20,000 bond.

Sexting is defined as the act of sending sexually explicit messages or images between electronic devices.

“It used to be that it would only work with cell phones,” Motley said of the practice. “But now, parents should know that there are tons of devices out there that now have that capability.

“And parents, you should educate yourselves,” he said. “With the daily advances in technology and the greater availability our children have to access that technology can make for a dangerous combination.

“In this case, as a parent, the Internet is your friend,” he said. “Research those apps that your children have downloaded on their device. Get the passwords to their social media accounts. Check their messages. Look at their photos. Be on the lookout.

“Remember, sexual predators have all of those resources – they’ve got social media accounts, cell phones and all the latest and greatest devices and technology available,” he said. “So, parents arm yourself with knowledge.”