“I WAS JUST ANSWERING AN ADVERTISEMENT”!!! BELIEVE IT OR NOT, AUTHORITIES SAY EIGHT MEN ATTEMPTED TO ENGAGE IN SEXUAL ACTIVITY WITH AN UNDERCOVER OFFICER POSING AS A MINOR ESCORT… AND NOW PROSECUTORS ARE PURSUING FEDERAL CHARGES THAT CARRY SEVERE PRISON EXPOSURE.
During the week of June 22, law enforcement carried out an undercover operation in Boone County.
The sting was conducted jointly by the Boone County Sheriff’s Office and the Boone County Cyber Crimes Taskforce.
Undercover officers took part by creating an online persona.
In those online spaces, officers posed as a minor female.
The undercover persona advertised escort services online.
Eight men were subsequently arrested in connection with the sting.
Authorities alleged that the men attempted to engage in sexual activity with a minor.
The cases began as local arrests.
But the proceedings quickly escalated into federal court.
On September 2, a federal grand jury returned indictments against all eight men.
The federal cases significantly raise the stakes from the original local arrests.
Prosecutors are now pursuing federal charges that carry severe prison exposure if convictions are obtained.
Most of the defendants face two primary federal charges.
One of those counts is attempted enticement of a minor.
The other count is attempted sex trafficking of a minor.
Daniel W. Follett, 57, is among those charged in the indictment.
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Follett previously served as general counsel for the Missouri Department of Revenue.
Ethan S. Deimeke, 28, was also indicted.
Deimeke is an attorney.
And Rifat H. Apurba, 30, faces federal charges as well.
Apurba is a graduate assistant at the University of Missouri.
Jose A. Jimenez, 54, was also federally charged.
Jimenez faces charges of attempted enticement of a minor and attempted sex trafficking of a minor.
Brice L. Morris, 35, faces the same two federal counts.
John Binu, 25, faces those identical two counts.
Then there are defendants facing different or additional accusations.
Rollie Pogue, 30, faces charges of attempted enticement of a minor and attempted sex trafficking of a minor.
Yet Pogue also faces an additional count under the indictment.
That charge alleges he committed a felony involving a minor while required to register as a sex offender.
David A. Burres, 32, faces a distinct set of federal charges.
Burres was charged with attempted enticement of a minor.
Burres was also charged with receipt of child pornography.
All eight men are charged, not convicted.
The charges are allegations and have not been proven in court.
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