Sex sting leads to an arrest

A Liverpool Township woman had reported her suspicions.
By D.A. WILKINSON
VINDICATOR SALEM BUREAU
NEW WATERFORD -- A Jefferson County man has been charged with propositioning a police officer over the Internet.
Chief Dan Hauter said Thursday that Randy Burch, 45, of North Sixth St., Steubenville, was charged with importuning for soliciting sex from what he thought was a minor girl. The charge is a fifth-degree felony.
Hauter said that additional charges may be filed locally and in Steubenville.
The investigation started Tuesday after a woman in Liverpool Township in Columbiana County chatted with Burch on the Internet while she pretended to be a 15-year-old girl.
Hauter said Burch allegedly wanted to get together with the "girl" and her younger sister. The chief said Burch masturbated in front of a Web camera during the conversation.
The woman contacted township police, who in turn contacted the county prosecutor's office, which referred them to Hauter, who has run a number of Internet stings.
Hauter said he went online posing as a young girl and chatted with Burch.
Hauter said Burch allegedly invited the "girl" to "come to Steubenville to take part in various arrangements of sexual activities."
Hauter said Burch masturbated in front of the Web camera during their discussion.
Child porn found
The chief obtained a search warrant and arrested Burch. The chief said child pornography was found on Burch's computer.
It appeared that Burch spent a great deal of time online. Hauter said much of the furniture was arrayed around the computer.
The chief noted that the television show "Dateline" has run a series of stings that brought older men to homes in the belief that they were going to have sex with a child they met online.
For those caught up in the Internet search for sex with children, Hauter said: "It's like a drug, like coke [cocaine]. They can't stop it."
Burch has no prior record involving sex crimes, but he does have a previous burglary-related conviction.