A Grass Valley man accused of raping a girl in 2017 remained behind bars Tuesday in the Nevada County Jail, authorities said.

Tyler Michael Clanton, 23, is charged with forcible rape. He also faces a special allegation that the victim was under 14 at the time, and that he tied or bound her, court records state.

Authorities first approached Clanton in February in an unrelated case, after receiving a tip from parents who observed a man texting their underage daughter, reports state.

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Detectives arrested Clanton after he thought he was meeting a young girl for sex in the parking lot of a Grass Valley business, authorities have said.

The District Attorney’s Office last month filed the unrelated rape charge against him, records show.

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“An extensive investigation by the Sheriff’s Department began after an individual came forward and reported sexual abuse by the defendant,” District Attorney Jesse Wilson said. “The abuse is to have occurred well before the complaining party’s initial report to law enforcement.”

Court records claim that Clanton raped the girl between June and August 2017.

“The crime alleged is a serious and violent felony,” Wilson said. “Crimes against children will continue to be a top priority of our office and we will prosecute this case, in line with the evidence, the law and justice, accordingly.”

Clanton remained held Tuesday on $200,000 in bond, reports state.

Rebecca O’Neil is a staff writer with The Union, a sister publicaiton of the Sierra Sun. She can be reached at roneil@theunion.com