Four of the men involved in sex sting face judge

Published 10:55 am Wednesday, February 7, 2018

Editor’s note: Since this story was published, the charges against Larry J. Parrott have been dismissed with prejudice and his record has been expunged.

Four of the men arrested after a sex sting operation by the Boyle County Sheriff’s Department were in Boyle County Circuit Court on Tuesday.

Dequan Brown

Dequan Brown, 23 of Lebanon, waived a formal hearing and entered a not guilty plea before Judge Darren Peckler during the morning session; Shawn Williams, 39 of Springfield, and Hubert Carter, 52 of Ennis, Texas, did the same during the afternoon session. Richard Fransen, 38 of Louisville, was present for a status hearing. The men are two of 11 who were arrested after they allegedly tried to illicit sex from a minor using an app:

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• Brown has been indicted with two counts of unlawful use of electronic means to induce a minor to engage in sexual or other prohibited activities, a Class D Felony. His bond was set at $10,000. He remains in the Boyle County Detention Center.

Richard Fransen

• Fransen has been indicted with one count of unlawful use of electronic means to induce a minor to engage in sexual or other prohibited activities, a Class D Felony. His bond was set at $5,000; he is out on bond.

• Williams has been indicted on two counts of unlawful use of electronic means to induce a minor to engage in sexual or other prohibited activities, a Class D Felony. His bond was set at $10,000; he remains lodged in the Boyle County Detention Center.

• Carter has been indicted on one count of unlawful use of electronic means to induce a minor to engage in sexual or other prohibited activities, a Class D Felony. His is out on bond. He will return on April 3 for a status hearing.

• Hardin has been indicted on one count of unlawful use of electronic means to induce a minor to engage in sexual or other prohibited activities, a Class D Felony. He is out on bond. He will be arraigned on March 3.

Hubert Carter

Also upcoming:

• Michael Cruse, 46, of 102 Newbell Road #T6, Columbus, Missouri, has been indicted on one count of unlawful use of electronic means to induce a minor to engage in sexual or other prohibited activities, a Class D Felony. He is out on bond. His arraignment is scheduled for 9 a.m. March 6.

Five others were indicted on misdemeanors in December:

• Joseph Brown, 49, of 119 Rolling Hills, Danville, was indicted on one count of criminal attempt to commit unlawful transaction with a minor third degree, when he knowing attempted to induce, assist, or cause a minor, or a law enforcement officer posing as a minor pursuant to KRS 510.155 to disobey his parents, knowing or believing that he was under the age of 18, a Class B Misdemeanor. He was also indicted on one count of resisting arrest, a Class A Misdemeanor, and escape third degree, when he escaped from the custody of the Boyle County Sheriff’s Department, a Class B Misdemeanor. Bond was set at $2,000. He is not scheduled to appear in court at this time.

Shawn Williams

• Fredrick Hilpp, 28, 501 Indian Creek Road, Lebanon, was indicted on one count of criminal attempt to commit unlawful transaction with a minor third degree, when he knowing attempted to induce, assist, or cause a minor, or a law enforcement officer posing as a minor pursuant to KRS 510.155 to disobey his parents, knowing or believing that he was under the age of 18, a Class B Misdemeanor. Bond was set at $2,000. He is not scheduled to appear at this time.

• Justin Jones, 40, of 496 Will Chancellor Road, Stanford, was indicted on one count of criminal attempt to commit unlawful transaction with a minor third degree, when he knowingly attempted to induce, assist, or cause a minor, or a law enforcement officer posing as a minor pursuant to KRS 510.155 to disobey his parents, knowing or believing that he was under the age of 18, a Class B Misdemeanor. Bond was set at $2,000. He is not scheduled to appear in court at this time.

• Larry Parrott, 39, of 3263 Lawrenceburg Road, Willisburg, was indicted on one count of criminal attempt to commit unlawful transaction with a minor third degree, when he knowingly attempted to induce, assist, or cause a minor, or a law enforcement officer posing as a minor pursuant to KRS 510.155 to disobey his parents, knowing or believing that he was under the age of 18, a Class B Misdemeanor. Bond was set at $2,000. Parrott is scheduled to appear in court at 9 a.m. Jan. 9.

• Mark Shelton, 33, of 555 Fairgrounds Road, Stanford, was indicted on one count of criminal attempt to commit unlawful transaction with a minor third degree, when he knowingly attempted to induce, assist, or cause a minor, or a law enforcement officer posing as a minor pursuant to KRS 510.155 to disobey his parents, knowing or believing that he was under the age of 18, a Class B Misdemeanor. Bond was set at $2,000. Shelton is scheduled to appear in court at 9 a.m. Feb. 13.