New Castle man arrested in Ohio sex sting

CUYAHOGA CO, OHIO — A New Castle man was arrested with more than two dozen other people in a four-day operation after allegedly engaging in sexual activity online with someone believed to be a minor.

The Ohio Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force announced Friday that Nathan Troup, 39, of New Castle, was one of the 27 people arrested as part of “Operation Moving Target,” an undercover operation conducted between Monday, Aug. 24, and Thursday, Aug. 27.

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Troup has been a registered sex offender in Pennsylvania since 2015 according to the Megan’s Law website, after being convicted of interstate transportation of material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor.

The defendants in the case are between 21 and 61 years old, and allegedly engaged in sexually explicit online conversations with undercover officers posing as children.

According to the release, the defendants expressed an interest in engaging in sexual activity with the purported children and sent images of their genitals during the conversations.

The defendants then traveled to a prearranged location, a vacant house in Cuyahoga County, and were arrested.

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“As we have seen, the number of Cybertips dramatically increase this year, it is clear that online predators remain a serious threat to our children,” said Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O’Malley. “Hopefully, the success of yet another operation serves as a stern warning to offenders that you will be found, you will be arrested, and you will be prosecuted.”

Initial charges against the defendants include attempted unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, disseminating matter harmful to juveniles, importuning, and possessing criminal tools.

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