Police target missing girl's uncle

BRAINTREE, Vt., July 1 (UPI) -- Vermont authorities have named a "person of interest" -- an uncle -- in the disappearance of a 12-year-old-girl from Braintree, Vt., officials said.

Michael Stephen Jacques, 42 was named a person of interest in the disappearance of his niece Brooke Bennett, who went missing last week, the Vermont Press Bureau reported Tuesday.

Jacques was charged Monday in an unrelated case involving the alleged sexual assault of a young girl.

Police said they have linked Jacques to an alleged Internet ring used to lure underage girls into sex.

"At this time Michael Jacques is a person of interest," Col. James Baker, director of the Vermont State Police, said. "This is not the only avenue we continue to pursue ... With that said, I will reconfirm my statement from before that this case is about social networking on the Internet."

Police Monday searched Jacques' property in Randolph Center, Vt.