Marines & Others Caught In Undercover Online Sex Sting

By Laura Vesco
Reporter
Published: October 30, 2008

A year long undercover investigation led to the arrests of eight North Carolina men, two of them Marines. The Pender County Sheriffs Department says they want to be proactive when it comes to catching sexual predators online. So they teamed up with the North Carolina Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

Our Laura Vesco shares how their undercover investigation nabbed the eight men and why every child who uses the internet is at risk.

Detective Scott Lawson says, “It’s a naturally curious child, maybe from a broken home who is not receiving the attention they feel like they need.“ Lawson says almost any child can fall victim to an online child predator, so as part of an undercover investigation, Lawson posed as a middle school aged girl.

His online chats led to the following arrests.

William Southers from Conover, North Carolina is charged with two counts of indecent liberties with a child and attempting to give obscene material to a child…

Private First Class Jack McHenry from Cherry Point faces federal charges of online enticement of a minor for the purposes of committing an illegal sex act.

Sergeant Donald Mundell from Camp Lejeune faces federal charges of online enticement of a minor.

Horacio Rhice from Wilson, North Carolina was charged with one count of disseminating obscene material to a minor. He pled guilty.

Lucas Letendre from Bear Creek, North Carolina is charged with one count of solicitation of a child by computer to commit an unlawful sex act. He posted bond but then was rearrested and charged with fifteen counts of sexual exploitation of a minor.

Dennis Johnston from Burgaw, North Carolina is charged with two counts first degree statutory sex offense and indecent liberties with a child. More charges are pending due to his involvement in the manufacturing of images and movies of sexual molestation to multiple children.

Jason Wallace from Stem, North Carolina is charged with solicitation of a child by computer, to commit unlawful sex act and indecent liberties with a child.

Adam Bagley from Charlotte, North Carolina is charged with indecent liberties with a child and attempting to disseminate obscene material to a minor.

Reporter: “The scariest part of these arrests for parents? When it comes to the internet predators have the chance to contact your child right in the comfort of your own home.“

Pender County District Attorney Ben David has a stern warning for predators wherever they may be.

“As you are watching our children, we are watching you.  We will go to the end of the earth to bring you back here in the 5th district and prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law,“ says David.