Ag's Office Nabs Three Men, Including Bible Study Teacher, in Child Sex Sting
By Christine Vendel
The state attorney general's office this week arrested three men after they allegedly agreed to meet an undercover officer posing as a 14-year-old boy for sex. One of the men, Timothy M. Myers, 32, of Latrobe, told police after his arrest that he was a youth pastor. While his claim of being a pastor didn't appear to be accurate, investigators said, the AG's office was continuing to investigate Myers' background and exposure to other potential victims. It does appear Myers volunteered at his church and was preparing to travel to Peru in late July to conduct a Bible School for children. He used an online fundraising page to pay for his trip. Myers also is shown on a Facebook page dressed in a sumo wrestler costume participating in a Westmoreland County youth event in 2009. The church's pastor told WPXI news that Myers was not on the staff of the church and served only as a volunteer. The pastor said Myers was never left alone with children. The television station reported Myers had taught a Bible study class within the last month. Anyone with information about Myers can call OAG's Child Predator Hotline at 1-800-385-1044. Myers was arrested Wednesday after soliciting sex from an undercover agent posing as a 14-year-old boy on a social networking site, according to authorities. After acknowledging that he understood the undercover agent was a minor, Myers allegedly propositioned him and arranged to meet. Investigators took Myers into custody after he arrived at the meeting location - known only to the undercover agent and Myers, according to the news release. The second suspect, Brian Zupancic, 27, of Jeannette, was arrested Tuesday. Zupanic also allegedly used the Internet to connect with an undercover agent posing as a minor. After the agent communicated he was 14, Zupancic allegedly solicited the agent for sex and identified a meeting location. Zupancic said he would be driving a grey Kia. Agents with the Child Predator Section and local police took Zupancic into custody after he arrived at the meeting location in the Kia. In the third case, Harold Enriquez, 33, of Greensburg, was arrested Tuesday under similar circumstances, authorities said. The undercover agent allegedly confirmed Enriquez understood he was a minor. Enriquez allegedly solicited the agent for photographs, propositioned him, and arranged to meet. Enriquez was taken into custody by agents at the designated meeting place. The three defendants were charged with unlawful contact with minors and attempts to commit involuntary deviant sexual intercourse, all felonies. Bail was set at $50,000 cash for Myers and Zupancic and $15,000 cash for Enriquez. Enriquez and Zupancic reportedly told police they previously had used the app to meet up for sex but never with a child, according to TribLive.com. Attorney General Josh Shapiro announced charges against the three Westmoreland County men for unlawful contact with minors this week in separate cases brought by the Office of Attorney General's Child Predator Section in southwestern Pennsylvania. Contact: cvendel@pennlive.com
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