Man duped by adults shows up with alcohol, lotion to meet girl: Prosecutors

NEW RICHMOND, Ohio (WXIX) - A 51-year-old man faces up to 200 years in prison for child porn charges after he was lured to a parking lot by a group targeting sexual predators.

David Sears, of New Richmond, was indicted on March 21 for 25 counts of pandering sexually oriented matter involving a minor, according to the Clermont County Prosecutor’s Office.

Sears had been talking with who he thought was an 11-year-old girl on Instagram and a messaging app called Telegram, prosecutors said.

The 51-year-old was actually talking to an online group that targets sexual predators, not a child, the prosecutor’s office explained.

Sears drove to a parking lot one night intending to meet up with the 11-year-old girl, prosecutors said.

He arrived with alcohol and lotion but was greeted by adult men who began questioning him about his messages and intentions, according to the Clermont County Prosecutor’s Office.

The online group had already tipped off the New Richmond Police Department before the meeting.

Officers later went to Sears’ home, where the prosecutor’s office says they confiscated evidence, which included “numerous images and videos of young children engaged in sexual activity.”

Sears admitted to having, downloading and sharing the child porn, prosecutors said.

The 51-year-old is at the Clermont County Jail as of Thursday evening.

His bond was set at $150,000 at a hearing Friday.

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