A Northmoor man is behind bars after allegedly responding to an undercover online ad and agreeing to meet someone he believed was a 15-year-old. Kevin S. Lafferty was taken into custody the moment he arrived at the agreed meeting spot, according to the reported probable-cause statement, and now faces a felony child enticement charge in Clay County.
Sting Traced Back to Thursday Ad
According to the reported probable-cause statement cited by Northwest MO Info, Lafferty responded to an online commercial-sex advertisement on Oct. 22. That ad had been posted by an undercover Clay County Sheriff's deputy, with assistance from the Bourbon County Sheriff's Office in Kansas, per the same statement.
From there, authorities say Lafferty exchanged multiple messages with the person behind the ad. He allegedly agreed to meet at a location despite believing the person he was chatting with was 15 years old, the probable-cause statement indicates. Once he arrived at that agreed location, he was placed into custody, according to the report.
Bond Set at $50,000, Arraignment Monday
Lafferty is being held on a $50,000 bond, the station's report notes. His arraignment is scheduled for 1:35 p.m. Monday in Clay County court.
Part of a Broader Statewide Push
St. Joseph Arrests In St. Joseph, an undercover operation by the St. Joseph Police Department and its Street Crimes Unit led to the arrests of Zachary Winger, 20, and Duane Parrott, 58, both charged with enticement of a minor, according to KQ2. Both men were being held without bond following their arrests, KQ2 reported.
St. Joseph Police Chief Paul Luster said the department intends to keep running similar operations, telling KQ2 that “this will not be the last operation of its kind.”
A Recently Strengthened Missouri Law
Missouri's Evie and Sophie's Law, which took effect Aug. 28, replaced the former offense of enticement of a child with grooming or enticement of a minor, according to KQ2's reporting. Under the current Missouri Revisor of Statutes, grooming or enticement of a minor is a felony carrying an authorized prison term of five to 30 years, with a higher minimum in specified circumstances.
