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Man admits role in sex sting |
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Friday, 20 February 2009 |
By MIKE BURKHOLDER
Managing Editor
ST. MARYS — A southeastern Ohio man faces a year in prison after admitting to using the Internet to set up a sex meeting with an undercover officer posing as a teen girl.
Steven T. McFarland, 48, of Lowell, pleaded guilty to one count of importuning, a fifth-degree felony, during a change-of-plea hearing in Auglaize County Common Pleas Court Tuesday afternoon. With the plea agreement, McFarland also faces a sexual offender status hearing where he will be labeled as either a Tier I, II or III sexual offender.
McFarland was one of a slew of suspects picked up as part of an importuning investigation conducted by the St. Marys Police Department.
St. Marys Police Chief Greg Foxhoven said McFarland traveled to St. Marys to meet a 15-year-old girl — who actually was St. Marys Patrolman Brian Christopher.
“He began talking to us Dec. 3,” Foxhoven said.
“They spoke on several occasions, the last was Jan. 1 when he indicated he was en route to St. Marys. He arrived at 7:14 p.m. and was arrested.”
Foxhoven said officers found two condoms during a search of McFarland upon his arrest.
McFarland also appeared on a Web cam, during which he sent sexually-explicit images of himself to the undercover officer.
“He did send inappropriate images to this profile and there were 59 pages of dialogue between them,” Foxhoven said.
The Washington County Sheriff’s Office assisted in a consent search of McFarland’s residence, Foxhoven said. The police chief also said he is pleased with the way the cases are progressing through the judicial process.
“I am real pleased, especially with the speed at which they are progressing,” Foxhoven said.
“We know these types of cases can be a burden because they are time consuming.”
McFarland is scheduled to appear in court at 3 p.m. April 24 for a sentencing hearing. |
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 25 February 2009 )
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