CLEARFIELD – A Mill Hall man is being accused of trying to solicit sex from a member of an online predator watch group whom posed as a teenage girl.
Eric L. Styers, 40, is charged by Clearfield Borough police with felony corruption of minors and criminal use of communication facility, plus one summary.
According to the criminal complaint, information was received around 3 p.m. Oct. 7 about a male who had arrived at a downtown business to meet a 15-year-old girl.
Styers first messaged the group’s “fake” online profile Oct. 5 and police were supplied with a binder of conversations that had occurred through TextNow.
Allegedly, Styers acknowledged the decoy’s age but still tried to solicit inappropriate photos and sexual relations, telling her: “no one can find out about me and u.”
Styers was detained to speak with investigators. He claimed that he didn’t recall the girl saying she was 15 and thought she was older because of her MeetMe profile.
Reportedly, he admitted to driving to Clearfield to meet with the girl because he’d been in Philipsburg earlier, and so he wasn’t far away.
Styers said though he wasn’t exactly sure of his intentions, he would have had sex with the girl if she wanted to but would have never forced her.
Styers had all charges bound over to county court following a preliminary hearing Wednesday. Bail is set at $50,000 monetary, which he’s posted.