Lebanon
Robert Armstrong, of 41 Green St., was charged with a misdemeanor of sending nude photos and a felony of using a computer to lure a 15-year-old girl into meeting him during a sting operation run by Police Chief Richard Mello.
Working undercover last Wednesday, Mello posted a Craigslist ad in the “casual encounters” section.
The ad listed the poster’s age as 18, according to court documents, but Mello subsequently claimed to be 15.
That day, Mello received a response from a man later identified as Armstrong.
Court documents are unclear about whether there were any other respondents.
Mello continued emailing Armstrong, who tried several times to set up meetings, according to court documents.
During the email exchange after one failed meet up the day after the ad was placed, police say Armstrong asked for a picture. Responding, Mello sent a photo of a “person’s buttocks in jeans” and asked why Armstrong hadn’t sent any.
Armstrong asked if Mello was a law enforcement officer, and he responded “no.” Armstrong then allegedly sent two nude photos.
According to court documents, Armstrong then said suggested a sexual encounter.
The next day, Armstrong emailed to say that he found someone more “age appropriate” for “adult activities,” but offered to fill a big brother role. In following emails, Armstrong set up a Monday meeting date to “shoot the breeze walking the rail trail.”
Plainclothes officers, including Mello, found Armstrong walking on the trail on Monday and took him into custody. Police say Armstrong told investigators during an interview that he went to the trail with “the thought of having sexual contact.”
In court documents, police say Armstrong also confessed to sending the pictures.
He was charged with a felony count of using a computer for prohibited means and a misdemeanor count for allegedly sending the nude photos.
Armstrong was also charged with one misdemeanor count of criminal contempt because he is currently out on bail from an April 4 arrest for soliciting prostitution.
A judge on Tuesday ordered Armstrong to have no unsupervised contact with minors, no use of electronic devices, no weapons, no use of illicit drugs, no use of excessive alcohol, sign a waiver of extradition and to be on good behavior.
If Armstrong is convicted, he would face up to seven years in prison on the felony charge and up to one year in prison on the misdemeanor charge.
Armstrong is being held on $25,000 bail at the Grafton County House of Corrections.
Tim Camerato can be reached at tcamerato@vnews.com or 603-727-3223.