VINTON COUNTY, Ohio — A man has been arrested for enticing a minor online.
The Vinton County Sheriff’s Office has acted on information provided by a private organization called “Predator Poachers” based in Houston, Texas. The organization reported engaging with an individual from Vinton County through a decoy online account, revealing concerning exchanges where explicit photographs were sent and solicited as the group pretended to be a 13-year-old girl.
The Vinton County Sheriff’s Office promptly responded to the organization’s call and proceeded to the suspect’s residence on State Route 93. There, the individual admitted to possessing numerous explicit images and videos involving minors on their mobile phone. Law enforcement confiscated the electronic devices for further examination by the Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI).
Mark Vickers Jr., 25, from Hamden, was apprehended at the scene and subsequently transported to Southeastern Ohio Regional Jail.
The investigation remains ongoing.
