Ill. man arrested in undercover Internet sex sting

MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- An Illinois man who drove three hours to Bollinger County on Independence Day was arrested in an undercover Internet sex sting.

William J. Heyduck, 30, of Centralia, Ill., was charged with attempted statutory rape and had bond set at $7,500.

According to a probable cause statement filed in the case, Heyduck contacted a profile on the Internet site Myspace.com on Tuesday. The profile was of a 15-year-old girl, but was actually a Bollinger County Sheriff's officer conducting an undercover operation into online sexual predators.

The conversation between the profile and defendant on Yahoo! Messenger was sexual, and included Heyduck offering to give the girl "lessons" on certain sexual acts, according to the statement.

The two arranged a meeting in Marble Hill, Mo., and Heyduck agreed to bring wine coolers and condoms.

When the defendant arrived at the location at approximately 10:10 p.m., he was arrested. During a search, police found a condom on the defendant's person and a six pack of Smirnoff Ice and a four pack of Seagram's wine coolers in the trunk of his car, the statement read.

During questioning by police, Heyduck said the profile looked sad and he would "do whatever she wanted," according to the statement.

The Bollinger County Sheriff's Department has been conducting an undercover operation investigating online sexual predators since March 8. This was at least the third arrest the county has had in connection to the investigation.

kmorrison@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 127