Sting catches man allegedly setting up sex encounter with teen girl

~ Robert C. Wells was arrested after police say he met the bogus 15-year-old on MySpace.com

A Cape Girardeau man is accused of attempting to arrange a meeting to have sex with a 15-year-old girl he met on the Internet. The girl was a Cape Girardeau police officer posing as a minor.

Robert C. Wells, 45, of 2515 Horseshoe Ridge was charged with attempted statutory rape and issued a $25,000 cash bond, according to police spokesman Jason Selzer.

Wells had met a girl he believed to be 15 years old on the Internet Web site MySpace.com.

In February, the Cape Gir-ardeau police detective opened an account on MySpace.com as a female and was later contacted through e-mail by Wells, according to a probable cause statement,

When an e-mail correspondence between the two became sexual, Wells was told the girl was 15 years old.

"Problem with that is, it's illegal," Wells' response was, according to the statement. "But who knows. I'm mainly looking for something very physical. Have you done anything yet on that basis?"

The conversation between the two became more sexually explicit, and at one point Wells asked for the girl's measurements so he could buy lingerie for her, the statement read.

On Friday, the two agreed to meet at the Great Wall Chinese Restaurant, 3254 William St. in Cape Girardeau.

When Wells arrived at the restaurant's parking lot at 11 a.m. Monday, he was arrested by police, Selzer said.

According to the statement, Wells admitted to officers that he knew the girl was 15 years old. He also admitted to sending the girl e-mails, a picture of himself, and that he planned on having sex with her, the statement read.

If Wells posts bond, he will not be allowed on the Internet or be left alone with any girl under 18 years old unless it is his own child, Selzer said.

kmorrison@semissourian.com

335-6611 extension 127