A Pennsylvania man has pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Columbus on charges of coercion and enticement of a minor, after admitting to traveling to central Ohio to meet and engage in sexual acts with a 13-year-old girl he met online. Dustin Combs, a 30-year-old from Waynesboro, committed the acts over several months in 2023 and 2024. The Columbus Dispatch reported that Combs faces a minimum of 10 years to a maximum of life in prison.
According to investigations, Combs gave the victim gifts, which included PlayStation gift cards, an electronics purchase from Best Buy, and money via Roblox. He made the five-hour, 300-mile trek to Ohio at least five times to meet the girl and "to intentionally engage in illicit sexual conduct," a crime for which he has now admitted guilt. The criminal activity was documented, occurring in his vehicle on the victim's street and also at a hotel, as indicated by ABC 6.
Law enforcement's forensic search of Combs's phone revealed searches for his young victim's street and elementary school, as well as disturbing queries on the cost of an abortion and the age of consent in various jurisdictions. A file titled "baby" on Combs's iPhone contained explicit content of the illegal encounters. These findings were also corroborated by the Acting United States Attorney Kelly Norris’s office, as reported by 10TV.
In addition to the coercion and enticement charge, Combs was indicted on charges of sexually exploiting a minor and interstate travel to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor. These federal crimes collectively carry a potential penalty of up to 30 years in prison. Combs was arrested in November 2024 and has been held accountable for his actions that exploited the girl.
