NORTH VERNON — A local suspect man was one of two people arrested on child solicitation charges Saturday evening after a sting operation in which law enforcement officials said the men traveled to Jennings County with the intention of meeting juveniles for sex.
The arrests involved tips from the same organization that led to the arrest in North Vernon late last year of a former Columbus North High School drama coach.
On Saturday evening, James Warner, 52, of Columbus, was arrested “when he arrived at a pre-determined meeting location to have sexual relations with what he believed to be a 13-year-old female,” the Jennings County Sheriff’s Department said in a post on its Facebook page.
“Warner was placed under arrest without incident.” North Vernon Police Department also participated in the operation.
According to Jennings County Jail records, Warner was booked on preliminary charges of Level 5 felony child solicitation and Level 6 felony dissemination of harmful material to a minor.
Sgt. Cody Low, public information officer for the sheriff’s office, said an independent group brought tips to law enforcement about men who were suspected of trying to meet minors for sex.
“Once it was brought to our attention, law enforcement took over the investigation,” Low said. “At this time, we are not aware of any other potential victims.”
Low did not provide the location of the arrest except that it was in the North Vernon City limits and took place around 6:30 p.m. Saturday.
Also arrested on Saturday was Stephen Stonecipher, 68, of Corydon. The sheriff’s office said he also was “arrested when he arrived at a pre-determined location to have sexual relations with what he thought was a 13-year-old male,” according to the department. Stonecipher was also arrested without incident.
Low described the exchanges between the suspects and law enforcement posing as minors as “very explicit.” He said the arranged meetings and arrests “transpired rather quickly” and that the investigation is “ongoing and rapidly evolving.”
Neither Warner nor Stonecipher have been formally charged, according to online court records. Both were held without bond Monday, according to the Jennings County Jail.
The circumstances of Warner’s and Stonecipher’s arrests resemble the arrest of former Columbus North High School drama coach John Johnson. He was charged in November with child solicitation after traveling to a store in North Vernon, where he was arrested after he was met by a member of Predator Catchers Indianapolis, who filmed the meeting and posted video online.
North Vernon and Jennings County deputies were waiting to arrest Johnson as he left the store.
Johnson, 52, of Columbus, is accused of arranging a meeting with a person he believed was a 14-year-old male for sex.
Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp. immediately terminated Johnson upon learning of his arrest. His case is still pending in Jennings Circuit Court, but no further court dates have been set, according to online records.
Johnson’s defense attorney, Russell Johnson of Franklin, said last month that plea negotiations are ongoing.
Predator Catchers Indianapolis said on its Facebook page Monday that it was the source of tips regarding Warner.
