Man gets prison in online enticement

A Mena, Ark., man was recently sentenced to 135 months in federal prison on one count of attempted online enticement of a minor.

Kevin DeHart, 53, will also serve five years of supervised release after he has completed his sentence, said Duane Kees, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas.

Court records said in July 2017, the Mena Police Department was conducting an undercover investigation into the online enticement of minors to engage in sexually activity in the Mena area.

“During the operation, law enforcement, utilizing an online persona of a 14-year-old male, logged into an undercover social media account. Shortly thereafter, an individual, later identified as Kevin DeHart, contacted the 14-year-old persona. DeHart quickly began inquiring about the purported minor’s sexuality,” Kees said.

“Later in the conversation, DeHart expressed a willingness to engage in sexual activity with the minor. Specific plans were made by DeHart and the purported minor to meet and engage in sexual activity at DeHart’s residence. In response, law enforcement set up surveillance on the meet location. DeHart arrived at the predetermined location and was taken into custody. During a post-Miranda interview, DeHart admitted he was the one communicating with the purported minor online,” Kees said.

A federal grand jury indicted DeHART in April, and he pleaded guilty in July.

The case was investigated by the Mena Police Department and the U.S. Secret Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dustin Roberts prosecuted the case for the federal government.

P.K. Holmes III, Chief U.S. district judge, presided over the sentencing hearing in the U.S. District Court in Fort Smith.