A 57-year-old truck driver from Lucerne was arrested in Greenwood after arriving in a semi-truck to meet someone he believed was a 13-year-old girl, according to FOX59. Robert McElrath faces charges of dissemination of matter harmful to minors, a level 6 felony, and child solicitation, a level 5 felony. The allegations have not been adjudicated.
According to court documents reported by FOX59, a Greenwood police detective posed online as a 13-year-old girl. The detective used FaceApp and ChatGPT to make images appear to show an underage female, then tried to join a Kik group. After the account was removed because of its stated age, the group’s administrator—later identified as McElrath—contacted the detective directly, the documents allege.
The filings allege that McElrath asked the person he believed was a 13-year-old girl for nude photographs and sent nude photos of himself, along with videos and images of sexual acts. The details were reported by FOX59.
A Plan to Pretend to Be Father and Daughter
The court documents say McElrath proposed that, if they met, they pretend the girl was his daughter to avoid attracting attention. The two arranged to meet at a Greenwood gas station.
McElrath arrived at the meeting place in his semi-truck and was arrested, according to the court documents. Police took him to the department for questioning. The documents also say officers found sex toys, shackles and condoms in the truck’s sleeping quarters.
McElrath Told Investigators It Was an Experiment
During questioning, McElrath said he knew he was meeting a 13-year-old girl, according to a report by FOX59. He characterized the messages as a “social experiment” to learn how a teenager’s mind works, but, according to the report, could not explain why that would involve sending pornographic images and nude photos of himself.
Online court records cited in the reporting list McElrath’s next court appearance as December 10; the year was not specified. The case is in its early stages, and no outcome has been determined.
A Separate Greenwood Case in 2025
McElrath’s arrest is separate from another Greenwood-area case in 2025 involving resident Rudy M. Mohika Jr., 39. The Daily Journal reported that Mohika was charged with child exploitation, a level 4 felony, and possession of child pornography, a level 5 felony, after a cyber tip involving 51 files described as child sexual abuse images.
Other cases and family guidance
In a separate Indiana case, a man who had communicated online with a profile represented as a 14-year-old girl arranged to meet an undercover officer at Madison’s Broadway Fountain on Oct. 9, 2020, WAVE reported. That case is distinct from the pending Greenwood allegations. For general guidance unrelated to this investigation, the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force advises reporting suspected online exploitation, solicitation or enticement to NCMEC and contacting local law enforcement about crimes involving a child. The task force also encourages parents to keep talking with children about their online interactions.
