Eight men arrested in child sex sting

Eight men are facing charges after they tried to make arrangements to have sex with minors, police said.

Eight men from Ulster, Dutchess, and Orange counties are facing felony charges after they tried to make arrangements to have sex with minors, authorities said

The arrests were part of an undercover sting operation conducted in the town of Ulster earlier this month by the Ulster County Sheriff’s Office, the FBI Child Exploitation Task Force, Town of Ulster Police Department, the Ulster Regional Gang Enforcement Narcotics Team, and state police.

According to the Sheriff’s Office, each of the men solicited an arrangement to have sex with minor children. When they went to the location where they were to meet the minors for sex, they were instead greeted by undercover officers. The suspects were arraigned in town courts in Hurley and Ulster.

Arrested in the sting were:

• Eric S. Decker, 42, of Kingston, charged with attempted criminal sexual act and attempted disseminating indecent material to minors, both felonies. He was sent to Ulster County Jail in lieu of $50,000 bail.

• Michael A. Sweeney, 51, of Kingston, charged with attempted criminal sexual act, a felony. He was sent to the Ulster County Jail in lieu of $50,000 bail.

• Ian D. Troxell, 38, of Woodstock, charged with attempted criminal sexual act, a felony. He was sent to the Ulster County Jail in lieu of $25,000 bail.

• Michael J. Minnerly, 19, of Clinton Corners, charged with attempted rape, a felony. He was sent to the Ulster County Jail in lieu of $25,000 bail.

• Travis M. Sammeth, 34, of Newburgh, charged with attempted criminal sexual act, a felony. He was sent to the Ulster County Jail in lieu of $30,000 bail.

• Elroy M. Gould III, 46, of Unionville, charged with attempted rape and attempted criminal sexual act, both felonies, and with attempted patronizing a prostitute, a misdemeanor. He was sent to the Ulster County Jail in lieu of $20,000 bail.

• Joseph K. Simon, 36, of Kingston, charged with attempted criminal sexual act, a felony. Simon was released from custody after posting bail.

• Dana J. Tompkins, 59, of Rhinebeck, charged with attempted rape, a felony. Tompkins was released from custody after posting bail.

No further information was immediately available.