Sex sting nets six

Deputies arrest men who thought they were meeting 14-year-old girl.

Photos: 6 arrested in Internet sex sting

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By Lauren Pack, Staff Writer Updated 2:37 AM Saturday, July 11, 2009

HAMILTON — Butler County sheriff’s deputies posing as a 14-year-old girl online and in text messages collected enough evidence to arrest six men for allegedly trying to meet a minor for sex.

Deputies Brandon Roberts and Melissa Gerhardt have been posing as juveniles since March, engaging in cyber conversations with men allegedly wanting sex from juveniles. When the men showed up to meet who they thought was an underage girl, they found deputies instead, according to the sheriff’s office.

The first arrest came March 24, when Mark Ballinger, 47, of Pan Am Way, Hamilton, was arrested on charges of attempted unlawful sexual conduct with a minor and importuning.

The last came Thursday, July 9, when Sukhdeep Sohal, 27, of Bridge Lane, Mason, was arrested on two counts of importuning and attempted unlawful sexual conduct with a minor.

Others arrested were:

• James Snyder, 22, of Corona Avenue, Kettering, arrested April 11 and charged with attempted unlawful sexual conduct with a minor and importuning.

• David Neu, 68, of Cincinnati, arrested April 18 and charged with attempted interference with custody, a first-degree misdemeanor, attempted unlawful conduct with a minor and importuning.

• Jeffrey Jenkins, 55, of Shelby Twp., Mich., arrested May 18 and charged with attempted unlawful sexual conduct with a minor and importuning.

• Clifford Smith, 31, of Milford, arrested June 24 and charged with attempted unlawful sexual conduct with a minor and importuning.

“The shocking part is when my people started this, within three hours, three men had sent pictures of their body parts to them thinking it was a 14-year-old girl,” said Sheriff Richard K. Jones.

There may be more arrests, and two additional suspects wanted on felony warrants remain at large.

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