STUARTS DRAFT — A 22-year-old Stuarts Draft man was arrested last week following an undercover online sting operation by Rockbridge County authorities after he allegedly solicited sex from what he thought was a 13-year-old girl, according to court records.
The suspect is now facing more than two dozen felony charges.
On Sept. 17, the Augusta County Sheriff’s Office arrested Nicholas C. Green at his residence on Ceocia Lane. He’s facing one charge of use of electronic means to solicit a minor with lascivious intent, and 25 charges of use of electronic means to solicit a minor with lascivious intent (second or subsequent offense).
Based on an affidavit to a search warrant filed last week by the Rockbridge County Sheriff’s Office, in June the agency was conducting a sting operation aimed at online predators. While in a chatroom, an undercover deputy posing as a 13-year-old girl reportedly began conversing with Green.
During the conversation, Green allegedly asked the bogus teen if she wanted to view a photo of his genitalia. “Sure!” the undercover officer replied, the affidavit shows. On June 7, Green allegedly sent five photos of his genitalia, “which he was holding a blue highlighter beside it for scale,” the affidavit said.
As the conversation progressed, Green reportedly asked the bogus teen if she wanted to meet for sex. “Ur in Va right?” Green said in the chat.
“I let him know I am camping for a week and would not be in contact with him for the next week,” the undercover deputy said in the affidavit.
Green messaged the bogus teen June 17 and asked if she’d returned from camping. He allegedly sent a batch of more than a dozen photos and videos of his genitalia to the undercover deputy during the conversation.
After Green was told by the undercover deputy that “I don’t want to get pregnant,” he offered to bring lube and a Plan B pill, which is an an emergency contraceptive, court records state.
After submitting administrative subpoenas for Kik, Google and Verizon, information from the filings led authorities to Green’s Stuarts Draft home. Surveillance of the residence showed a vehicle parked in the driveway that was registered to Green, according to the affidavit.
He is being held at Rockbridge Regional Jail.
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Brad Zinn is the cops, courts and breaking news reporter at The News Leader. Have a news tip? Or something that needs investigating? You can email reporter Brad Zinn (he/him) at bzinn@newsleader.com. You can also follow him on X (formerly Twitter).
This article originally appeared on Staunton News Leader: Affidavit: Stuarts Draft man nabbed in online sting operation