In a case running confrontationally into California law - which protects juveniles from sexual predators - a 36-year-old man from Greenfield was arrested on Monday for allegedly selling his 14-year old daughter to his 18-year-old neighbor for cash, beer and meat!

According to a police statement, the young girl's father, Marcelino de Jesus Martinez, has been booked into the Monterey County Jail, Greenfield. He faces felony charges of having received cash for causing a person to cohabitate.

Greenfield Police Chief, Joe Grebmeier, told CNN that it was through an intermediary that Martinez arranged his daughter's marriage to Margarito de Jesus Galindo, of Gonzales, California. As a part of the marriage agreement, Galindo was required to pay $16,000 to Martinez, along with 160 beer crates, 100 soda crates, 50 crates of Gatorade, two cases of wine, and six cases of meat.

The police chief said that among the communities of Oaxaca, a western Mexican state - where all those involved in the case are from - this kind of a deal "normal and honorable; but, in California, it's against the law."

In a written police statement, the police said: "The 14-year-old juvenile moved in with Galindo and when payments were not received, the father, Martinez, called Greenfield PD to bring back the daughter."

Although the authorities believe Galindo did not compel the girl, still, she is four years younger than the legal age of consent in California, which, however, does permit 16-year-olds to marry with parental consent.