HARRISBURG, PA — A 40-year-old Allegheny County man is facing multiple felony charges after allegedly attempting to arrange sexual contact with a child he believed to be 12 years old, Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday announced Monday.
According to the Office of Attorney General, Lane Alan Simpson of Pitcairn began communicating online with an undercover agent posing as the mother of a 12-year-old girl. During these exchanges, Simpson allegedly agreed to pay cash to engage in sexual acts with the minor.
Investigators report that Simpson arrived at an agreed-upon meeting location with the cash payment, condoms, and candy — items he had been told the child would like. Upon arrival, he was taken into custody without incident.
Simpson has been charged with felony counts of unlawful contact with a minor, criminal attempt to commit rape of a child, and other related offenses. He was arraigned early Tuesday morning, where bail was denied after a magisterial district judge ruled that he posed a threat to the community.
Attorney General Sunday commended the investigative work, stating, “This defendant had every intention of sexually abusing a pre-teenage child, and I commend the investigators for proactive efforts that removed this predator from the street. Our Child Predator Section is constantly working to identify predators who lurk in the shadows online.”
The investigation was initiated by the Child Predator Section of the Attorney General’s Office following an undercover operation. The case was referred by the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office and will be prosecuted by Senior Deputy Attorney General Angela Raver.
Simpson has a prior conviction for secretly recording college students in a bathroom and posting those videos online, for which he previously pleaded guilty to criminal use of a communication device and invasion of privacy.
All charges against Lane Alan Simpson are allegations. He is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
For the latest news on everything happening in Chester County and the surrounding area, be sure to follow MyChesCo on Google News and MSN.