Jury convicts man of seeking sex with teen in Upper Merion
NORRISTOWN >> A Philadelphia man remained calm as a Montgomery County jury convicted him of charges of attempting to have sex with a 14-year-old girl at an Upper Merion hotel and having a sexually explicit conversation with the undercover detective who was posing as the teenager.
The jury deliberated nearly nine hours before convicting Michael Charles Houston, 26, of the 1400 block of East Bristol Street, of charges of attempted statutory sexual assault and unlawful contact with a minor in connection with incidents that occurred between Aug. 17, and Aug. 19, 2017, during a police sting operation.
The jury acquitted Houston of a charge of attempted involuntary deviate sexual intercourse.
“We are pleased by the fact that the jury recognized that the defendant’s conduct was clearly the type of conduct that puts children in our community at risk. I think that their verdict rejected the defense allegation that this was the result of some police wrongdoing or that they overstepped,” Assistant District Attorney Matthew Brittenburg said after the verdict was announced, referring to Houston’s claim of police entrapment during the sting operation.
Houston adamantly denied the allegations when he testified during the twoday trial.
Judge Risa Vetri Ferman allowed Houston to remain free on $99,000 bail but added the caveat that he must wear an electronic monitoring device while awaiting sentencing. Houston faces a possible maximum sentence of 15 to 30 years in prison on the charges. However, state sentencing guidelines could allow for a lesser sentence.
Several members of Houston’s family who supported him in court wiped tears from their eyes as the verdict was announced.
During the trial, undercover detectives working with the county’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force testified they placed an advertisement on a social media web site stating “Cub in town… Let’s have some fun – w4m.” Houston responded to the ad on Aug. 17, and an online conversation ensued over the next two days, East Norriton Detective Michael Henricks, a member of the task force, testified for the jury.
During the conversation, Henricks posed as a 14-year-old girl vacationing with her family and staying at an Upper Merion hotel. Henricks sent Houston a photo depicting a teenage girl and he testified Houston proceeded to engage in a sexually explicit conversation.
But Houston testified he believed the photograph depicted a woman who was 18 or 19 and that he never intended to have sexual relations with a teenager. Houston claimed he continued the conversation and agreed to meet in the lobby of a King of Prussia hotel on West DeKalb Pike on Aug. 19 in order to determine exactly with whom he was conversing.
Houston added he believed the “w4m” reference in the advertisement that was placed by detectives on Craigslist meant “woman for man.” Houston testified he did not believe the person he was communicating with was a 14-year-old and suggested the police “entrapped” him.
Defense lawyer Vanessa Bellino argued the case was “about an overzealous prosecution,” claiming the undercover detectives introduced the sexual innuendos, prompted Houston’s sexually explicit responses and controlled the tone and subject of the conversations.
Bellino argued Houston’s goal was to determine who was behind the messages and that he did not believe he was communicating with a teenage girl.
But Brittenburg argued that even after Henricks identified himself as a 14-year-old girl Houston continued the conversation and agreed to meet. Brittenburg argued Houston could have cut the conversation off as soon as he was informed he was communicating with a 14-yearold but he did not.
Brittenburg argued Houston went to the hotel in King of Prussia “because he thought there was going to be a 14-year-old girl meeting him there.”
Brittenburg also challenged the defense claim that Houston was entrapped.
Authorities took Houston into custody when he showed up in the lobby of the King of Prussia hotel.