Solicitation suspect bound for circuit court

A 45-year-old Cape Girardeau man caught in an undercover police sting targeting Internet sexual predators admitted to police he would "eventually" have had sex with an underage girl he met online, but backed out of their first meeting because he was ashamed.

The 15-year-old girl was actually Cape Girardeau Police Department detective Brad Smith, who had set up an account on the Web site MySpace.com to pose as the youth.

Robert C. Wells, of 2515 Horseshoe Ridge, contacted the "girl" Feb. 26 and the two arranged a meeting in the parking lot of the Great Wall Chinese Restaurant, 3254 William St., for March 6.

Around 11 a.m. that day, Wells pulled into the lot and sat in his car for "some time" before driving away, Smith said Monday during a preliminary hearing for Wells, whom police arrested as he left the lot.

"He said eventually, as they know each other, they would have had sex," Smith said of Wells, charged with attempted statutory rape. Wells told police he abandoned the meeting because he felt ashamed, Smith said.

In the investigation into online predators, Smith created a profile named "Tina" that included four pictures of an anonymous girl, two in a swimsuit.

Wells contacted "Tina" on Feb. 26, complimenting her appearance and sending her a photo of himself, Smith said.

Evolving conversation

On cross examination with Wells' attorney Malcolm Montgomery, Smith said the girl in the pictures could appear to be 19 to 21 years old, and "Tina" originally told Wells she was 19 years old.

"So right off the bat you tell Mr. Wells, 'I'm Tina, I'm 19, look at me,'" Montgomery asked.

"Yes," Smith said.

When "Tina" told Wells that she was actually only 15 years old, the conversation "then evolved more sexually aggressive," Smith said. He also said the two chatted about meeting to discuss having sex together, and Wells agreed to provide condoms.

"Tina" told Wells she had a friend who worked at a local hotel and the two could use a room. In a recorded phone conversation with a female officer posing as Tina on March 6, Wells refused to go to the hotel and wanted to meet somewhere else, Smith said.

Wells described to "Tina" his vehicle and what he was wearing. The two decided to meet at the restaurant and agreed that if either felt uncomfortable, they would just leave, Smith said.

Surveillance police spotted Wells' vehicle driving to his home, where the defendant got into a different vehicle that he drove to the restaurant.

When arrested, police found a laptop used to e-mail the girl. A picture of "Tina" and the picture the defendant sent to her of himself were found on the computer, Smith said.

Smith added there was no indication Wells planned on having sex at the March 6 meeting, and the defendant never left his vehicle.

Following the testimony, Associate Circuit Judge Gary A. Kamp found probable cause in the case and bound Wells over to Circuit Court.

kmorrison@semissourian.com

335-6611 extension 127