Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
A Warsaw man was arrested after allegedly trying to meet up with someone he thought was 13 years old.
Connor Reed Herbert Craft, 31, of 3340 N. Royal Oak Court, Warsaw, is charged with child solicitation, a level 4 felony; and possession of marijuana, a class B misdemeanor.
He was booked into the Kosciusko County Jail at 12:33 p.m. Tuesday on a $35,500 preliminary bond.
According to the probable cause affidavit, on April 10 Kosciusko County Dispatch advised law enforcement a man, later identified as Craft, communicated sexually with someone he believed was a 13-year-old via text messages. A Warsaw Police Department officer responded to the call.
The officer spoke with a man who said Craft attempted to meet up with a 13-year-old female decoy. The communication started about a month prior on the Grindr application. The decoy said they would turn 14 in June. Craft requested for the decoy to send him nude pictures.
The man also said Craft discussed he would bring the decoy back to a hotel room. Craft sent the decoy some sexually explicit texts.
The man said on April 10 Craft messaged the decoy he had rented a hotel room with a hot tub and he could pick the decoy up. Craft said he wanted to perform some sex acts and they could drink alcohol and he could bring some marijuana. Craft told the decoy where they could meet up.
The man arrived at the meet-up location and the decoy exited the vehicle. They saw Craft exit the parking lot and returned to the hotel parking lot.
The officer spoke with Craft who admitted he had a THC vape in his pocket. Craft consented to the search of his hotel room. Law enforcement officers located items in the room, which included sex toys, baby wipes, a THC vape pen and a bottle of wine.
Craft also told law enforcement he placed marijuana in the hallway trash can.
A WPD detective conducted a forensic download on Craft’s and the decoy’s cell phones. The detective reviewed the messages. Craft initiated contact with the decoy. The decoy explicity said they were 13, according to court documents.
