MONTICELLO – The Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office concluded a month-long investigation with the arrest of a Monticello man in connection with an online sting operation.
Robert Dunn, 42, of York Avenue, a level two sex offender, was arrested on Sunday, May 31 when he allegedly went to a home on Emily Street in Monticello for the purpose of having sex with a 15-year-old boy. What Dunn did not know was that the boy was actually an undercover deputy sheriff who he had solicited on Facebook.
The investigation began in April when Dunn appeared at the sheriff’s office to register as a sex offender. He was required to do so as a result of a conviction for sexual misconduct for which he was sentenced to a year in the Sullivan County Jail.
At the time of his registration, Dunn reported he had no social media accounts and did not own a cell phone, but during a routine check by deputies, it was discovered he had two Facebook accounts under different names and an I-phone. He also failed to declare his place of employment as required by law.
Deputies noticed that many of Dunn’s friends on Facebook were very young. An undercover Facebook account was set up and it wasn’t long before Dunn asked to be friends with the fictitious 15-year-old boy. During the course of the investigation, it is alleged that Dunn sent a picture of his genitals to the undercover deputy and asked to meet for the purpose of having sex.
Dunn was given an address on Emily Street in Monticello where he was to meet the teen. The property is actually unoccupied and slated for county auction in two weeks.
When he arrived at the residence and knocked on the door, he was told to come in where he was greeted by sheriff’s Sgt. Blake Starner. Backup units from the sheriff’s office and Monticello Police arrived and Dunn was taken into custody. He had a bottle of lotion in his pocket at the time.
Dunn was charged with four counts of felony failure to report changes to the sex offender registry, one count of disseminating indecent material to minors and misdemeanor conspiracy. He was arraigned and sent to the Sullivan County Jail in lieu of $25,000 cash bail.
