Brian Hagberg
WARREN, Pa. – A registered sex offender is facing five new felony charges after Warren County Detectives arrested him during an undercover operation on Friday, Dec. 8.
According to a release from Warren County Assistant District Attorney Cody Brown, officers arrested Adam Michael Larson, 40 of Russell, on Friday following an investigation into Larson allegedly sending text messages to individuals attempting to locate minors. Larson is facing five felony charges including two counts of Unlawful Contact with a Minor – Sexual Offenses (F1), and one count each of Unlawful Contact with a Minor – Open Lewdness (F3), Disseminating Explicit Sexual Material to a Minor (F2), and Criminal Use of a Communication Facility (F3).
“The District Attorneys Office was made aware of an individual ‘fishing’ social media accounts and texting individuals through out the area attempting to locate and meet underage girls,” Chief County Detective Thomas Kibbey said in a release. “Through an undercover operation we were able to identify the individual as Adam Michael Larson, of Russell, PA. Larson was found to have previous sexual offenses against children and is currently registered as a sexually violent predator.”
Brown said detectives, acting covertly, received “obscene and sexual messages and images from Larson.” Larson was arrested when he arrived at a predetermined location to meet who he believed to be a 14-year-old female for sex.
Larson was remanded to the Warren County Jail after failing to post $50,000 bail. A preliminary hearing before Magisterial District Judge Todd Woodin is scheduled for Wednesday, Dec. 13 at 3 p.m.
Warren County Detectives were assisted in the investigation by Homeland Security Investigations and the Office of the Attorney General.
“We are thankful for the cooperation of all the agencies involved who were able to provide additional resources to help us in keeping predators who are a danger to children off of the streets,” Kibbey said.
