CLEARFIELD – A Clearfield man waived his right to a preliminary hearing for six felony charges related to his communications with what he thought was a 14-year old girl.
Police say Ronald Eugene McCormick, 51, was sending sexual messages to the girl for about two weeks before they set up an opportunity to meet on Sept. 17.
The girl was actually a decoy from the local 814 Pred Hunters group. A representative from the group provided police with the messages as well as photos prior to the meeting date.
After McCormick arrived at the Driving Park in Clearfield Borough, police arrested him. They reportedly found condoms and sex games in his vehicle.
McCormick is charged with criminal attempt-unlawful contact with a minor, criminal attempt-corruption of minors, criminal use of communication facility, criminal attempt-statutory sexual assault, criminal attempt –involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and aggravated indecent assault.
McCormick’s case now moves on to the court of common pleas for further disposition. He is in the county jail in lieu of $200,000 bail.
The criminal complaint contains a list of the messages. This includes McCormick admitting that getting involved with an underage girl could get him “18 years” in prison. He sent her photos of himself including one of him, naked from the waist down.
He asked her to send him naked photos, but she replied that she couldn’t do that.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, they discussed sexual activity and her lack of experience as the decoy responds that she only wants to “cuddle” and talk. The plan was for them to meet at the park and then go to her aunt’s house which was nearby. At this point the decoy does comment “If that is what you want” when he asks about a specific sexual act.
McCormick also reportedly sent an explicit video to her.
In his interview with police, McCormick claimed he was only meeting her to “cuddle” but the girl had tried to entice him and he told her no. He admitted to sending the naked photo. He explained the sex games had been in “his car for years”.
He also claimed the decoy kept mentioning he would have to teach her but he denied her requests. McCormick stated this was the first time he had ever talked to someone under the age of 18 “but related that when he was a lot younger he had, but he had talked to the mother and she was okay with it,” according to the report.
The 814 Pred Hunters group has been operating in the area since Sept. in 2022. Members of the organization act as teen decoys who respond to older men who contact them online. All of their messages, photos, videos and other background are provided to local police. A meeting is set up where the defendant is confronted and arrested.
They had another case scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Wednesday during centralized court.
Tracy Allen Vincent, 57, Muncy, is charged with felony counts of criminal attempt-aggravated indecent assault, criminal use of communication facility, criminal attempt-unlawful contact with a minor and criminal attempt-corruption of minors. His hearing was continued until Oct. 1. He is in the county jail with his bail set at $200,000.
These are the first 814 cases filed in Clearfield County since July 2023 when President Judge Fredric J. Ammerman issued an opinion and order stating that “the Unlawful Contact with Minors statute explicitly outlines who can be a victim and who can pose as a would be victim. Specifically, a victim includes actual minors or a law enforcement officer operating within the scope of his/her official duties posing as a minor, for the purpose of committing any of the sex-related offenses.
“The General Assembly specifically chose the language of the Unlawful Contact with Minors statute; if the General Assembly intended to criminalize communicating with vigilantes (i.e. non-law enforcement individuals) posing as minors, then the statute would, in its plain language, express that intent,” he wrote.
Since then a superior court has issued a ruling in a similar case that criminal attempt-corruption of minors and criminal use of communication facility charges do not require “the element of a minor or police officer”, according to online court documents.
After Ammerman’s ruling, the group continued to operate in neighboring counties.
