Ohio “Traveling Predator” Arrested in Beaver County; 277th Arrest by Attorney General’s Child Predator Unit

HARRISBURG – Attorney General Tom Corbett announced that agents from the Attorney General’s Child Predator Unit have arrested an Ohio man accused of using the Internet to sexually proposition what he believed was a 13-year old girl and then traveling to Beaver County to meet the girl for sex. 

Corbett identified the defendant as Lonnie R. Krepps, 35, 9293 State Route 43, Bloomingdale, Ohio.

Corbett said Krepps allegedly used an Internet chat room to approach an undercover agent from the Child Predator Unit, who was using the online profile of a 13-year old girl. During their first online conversation, on October 13th, 2010, Krepps allegedly sent the “girl” a webcam video that showed him lying on his bed, naked, engaging in sexual activity. 

“Online predators are constantly searching for potential victims online – hoping to find lonely, vulnerable or unsupervised teens – so it is essential for parents to regularly discuss Internet safety with their kids and warn them about predators who may try to arrange face-to-face meetings or send sexually explicit materials,” Corbett said. “To date, our agents have arrested 277 Internet predators, including men from every corner of Pennsylvania, and from as far away as Texas, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Maryland, New Jersey and Ohio.”

According to the criminal complaint, Krepps quickly proposed meeting for sex and described in graphic detail the acts he wished to perform with the girl.  He also encouraged her to keep their conversations secret, telling her, “please make sure you delete these messages so no one gets them.”

Corbett said that over the following week Krepps continued to press the girl for a meeting, telling her, “I will teach u anything u want to know,” and adding, “I can’t wait to have u in my arms.”

Krepps was arrested by agents from the Child Predator Unit, at approximately 10:30 a.m. on Friday, October 22nd, when he arrived at a predetermined meeting location in Beaver County.  Shortly before his arrest, Krepps allegedly sent a cell phone text message to the “girl,” indicating that he had arrived at their meeting place.

Agents from the Attorney General’s Office were assisted during the arrest by officers from the Center Township Police Department.

Additionally, Corbett said the Jefferson County (Ohio) Sherriff’s Department assisted investigators by executing a search warrant at Krepps home.  Computers and other items seized during that search will be analyzed by the Attorney General’s Computer Forensics Unit as part of an ongoing investigation.

Krepps is charged with one count of unlawful contact with a minor (related to involuntary deviate sexual intercourse) and one count of criminal attempted unlawful contact with a minor (related to involuntary deviate sexual intercourse), which are both first-degree felonies each punishable by up to 20 years in prison and $25,000 fines.

Additionally, Krepps is charged with one count of unlawful contact with a minor (related to statutory sexual assault) and one count of criminal attempted unlawful contact with a minor (related to statutory sexual assault), both second-degree felonies which are each punishable by up to ten years in prison and $25,000 fines.

Krepps is also charged with four counts of criminal use of a communications facility, one count of unlawful contact with a minor (related to obscene or sexual materials) and one count of criminal attempted unlawful contact with a minor (related to obscene or sexual materials), which are all third-degree felonies each punishable by up to seven years in prison and $15,000 fines.

Krepps was arraigned before Aliquippa Magisterial District Judge Joseph L. Schafer, and lodged in the Beaver County Jail in lieu of $200,000 bail.  Krepps was also ordered to have no contact with children, no internet use and may not leave Pennsylvania without court permission.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for October 28th, 9 a.m., in Beaver County Courthouse Central Court.

 Krepps will be prosecuted in Beaver County by Senior Deputy Attorney General William F. Caye II of the Attorney General’s Child Predator Unit.

Internet Safety
Corbett urged parents and other caregivers to carefully monitor how kids are using the Internet in order to guard against possible Internet predators, including:

• Checking the websites they use.
• Searching the social networking sites they visit.
• Reviewing their online profiles on FaceBook, MySpace, and other websites.

Additionally, Corbett said that parents should emphasize that kids should not share personal information online, like full names, ages, addresses, phone numbers and school information, and should be cautious about strangers who approach them online.

Corbett added that parents and teens also need to understand that safety concerns now extend beyond home computers.

“The same safety rules must be applied to cell phones and game systems, many of which can be used to send and receive messages, transmit photos and videos or used to access Internet websites,” Corbett said. 

Suspected internet predators can be reported to the Attorney General’s Office by clicking on the “Report a Predator” link, located on the front page of the Attorney General’s website or by calling the toll-free Child Predator Hotline, at 800-385-1044.