A Texas man has admitted in federal court that he traveled to Ohio to meet and sexually exploit a 15-year-old he met through the Call of Duty mobile game, then tried to fly her out of state. Authorities say he took a bus to Ohio, met the teen in person, engaged in sexual acts, and was arrested at John Glenn Columbus International Airport while attempting to get the minor on a flight to Florida. Under a plea agreement, he now faces a recommended 25-to-30-year federal prison sentence.
According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Ohio, 38-year-old Harrison Michael Barton pleaded guilty last Thursday in U.S. District Court in Columbus to federal exploitation charges tied to his trip to Ohio to have sex with a minor he met online. The release states that Barton was arrested in February 2025 at John Glenn Columbus International Airport while trying to fly the teen to Florida.
As reported by WKRC Local12, court documents say Barton took a Greyhound bus from Texas to Ohio about a month after first connecting with the 15-year-old through the mobile game. The outlet also notes Barton was wanted on an outstanding parole warrant from Texas for a prior online-solicitation conviction that resulted in a 10-year sentence.
How investigators say the plot unfolded
Court filings indicate the teenager picked Barton up in Newcomerstown and drove him toward the Columbus airport. Before they reached the terminal, Barton admitted to engaging in vaginal and oral sex with the minor and to taking sexually explicit photos, according to the documents. The guilty plea was announced by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Ohio alongside the FBI’s Cincinnati Division and several local law-enforcement partners.
Charges and plea agreement
Court records reviewed by WHIO show Barton pleaded guilty to charges that include travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor, sexual exploitation of a minor, attempted kidnapping of a minor, and possession of child sexual-abuse material. Prosecutors say the case was brought under Project Safe Childhood, and the plea agreement recommends a 25-to-30-year sentence.
Why this matters: gaming and grooming risks
Experts and researchers warn that multiplayer games can create easy lines of contact between adults and minors, a convenience that predators can exploit for grooming. Recent research from the ADL found Call of Duty among titles where young players report high rates of harassment and abusive contact. That sort of online environment can help offenders build trust over time, which is one reason federal task forces have made online child exploitation a priority.
Resources and reporting
Authorities urge parents and caregivers to know the apps and games their children use, turn on privacy settings and parental controls, and have frank conversations about online boundaries and red flags. The Department of Homeland Security's Know2Protect campaign and the FBI provide toolkits that walk families through those steps. If a child is in immediate danger, call 911. Suspected online sexual exploitation can be reported through NCMEC's CyberTipline or the FBI tipline. For more information, see Know2Protect and the FBI's guidance for parents.
Under the plea agreement, Barton faces the recommended 25-to-30-year sentence and will be sentenced on a date set by the court. Law-enforcement officials say the case highlights the ongoing work by federal and local partners to find and prosecute those who target children online.
