An undercover child sex predator operation between the Lansdale Borough Police Department and the Montgomery County Detective Bureau has led to charges against a Lansdale man who was allegedly attempting to meet a 14-year-old girl for sex.
In April, detectives from both agencies launched a proactive investigation on multiple social media platforms in an attempt to identify and arrest child sex predators. During the evening of April 19, an undercover detective assuming the role of a 14-year-old girl was contacted by 44-year-old Ian Horrocks, of the 100 block of Saint Elmo Street, and the two began a conversation over several hours that turned sexual in nature, according to charging documents.
Chat logs included in the affidavit of probable cause show Horrocks expressed concern on several occasions that the chat could be a setup and referenced that an adult male could be arrested for having sex with a 14-year-old girl. After expressing those concerns, however, Horrocks sent a message indicating he was “up for meeting” the teen for sex, and detectives arranged the meeting at a predetermined location later that evening, police said.
Upon Horrocks’ arrival at the meet location, a member of the surveillance team took him into custody, and he was transported to the Lansdale Police Station for an interview, police said. During that interview, Horrocks allegedly confessed to communicating with a 14-year-old girl on social media and via text message and said he had gone to the predetermined location to meet the teen, according to charging documents.
As a result of the investigation, Horrocks was charged with felony counts of unlawful contact with a minor, statutory sexual assault, aggravated indecent assault, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a person less than 16 years of age, and criminal use of a communication facility. Horrocks was also charged with misdemeanor counts of corruption of minors, possessing an instrument of crime, and indecent assault of a person less than 16 years of age.
Horrocks is currently in custody at the Montgomery County Correctional Facility in lieu of $10,000 cash bail. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 17 at 10:30 a.m. in front of Magisterial District Judge Ed Levine.
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using court records and the affidavit of probable cause.
See also:
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