OxfordPress.com

LEBANON — A former Hamilton church music leader was indicted by the Warren County grand jury on a charge of arranging a sexual encounter with someone who he thought was a teenage boy he met online.

Charles Andy Gartison, 24, of Monroe was arrested on Sept. 29 after allegedly arranging a meeting with Lt. Jeff Braley of the Hamilton Twp. Police Department, who posed as a 15-year-old male as part of an undercover investigation.

According to the police report, Garitson contacted Braley via the Internet and asked to meet for sexual conduct. Upon arriving at the meeting place, Gartison was taken into custody. He was released on his own recognizance.

Garitson was indicted on a charge of attempted unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, a fifth-degree felony charge.

Warren County Prosecutor Rachel Hutzel said a preliminary hearing will likely be scheduled within the next two weeks. If convicted on the charge, Garitson could face up to a year in prison and a $2,500 fine. The courts often hand down probation for such crimes.

"The court often does this because they say the person hasn't hurt anyone," she said. "Our position is that while the court says no one was hurt, it was only because we got to them first. However, he was still out there trolling for sex with children."

Garitson was a music director at the Park Avenue United Methodist Church in Hamilton. Pastor Barbara Dafler said she would not talk about Garitson's arrest.

Her blog entry on the church's Web site Tuesday, Sept. 30, read as follows: "Our music leader, Andy, is facing some serious consequences because of a choice he made yesterday. Please continue to keep him and his family in your prayers. Many people (including other churches) will be watching Park Ave. to see how we handle ourselves during this time. It is important that we live and act as Christ has instructed us."