California man who flew to Ohio for sex with teen girl sentenced to prison

A California man who pleaded guilty to traveling to Ohio to have sex with a 14-year-old girl he met online has been sentenced in U.S. District Court in Columbus to 17 years in prison.

Kameron E. Tolbert, 28, of Suisin City, California, pleaded guilty in August to sexually exploiting a minor and possessing child pornography. He admitted to engaging in sexual activity with the teen girl, who is half his age.

Court records state Tolbert flew from Sacramento, California, about 45 miles northwest of his home, to John Glenn Columbus International Airport on Aug. 20, 2022, and then got a rental vehicle to meet the girl at her home in Jackson, Ohio, located approximately 30 miles southeast of Chillicothe and 75 miles from downtown Columbus.

Tolbert met the girl at her home on Aug. 21 and 22, 2022, entering through her bedroom window both times to avoid the front door so that he wouldn’t be seen by anyone or on security cameras. On Aug. 22, the girl’s parents confronted Tolbert in the girl’s bedroom. Tolbert jumped out of her window, ran away from the house on foot and then fled in a vehicle, according to court records.

The next day, the principal at the girl’s high school spotted Tolber in his rental vehicle in the parking lot of the school and notified a school resource officer. The officer detained Tolbert, and he admitted to the officer he was at the school to meet up with the 14-yearold girl, court records show.

Tolbert had met the girl online about six months prior to the arrest and began talking with her on different social media platforms, including Discord, accorfding to court records.

Federal agents conducted a forensic examination of Tolbert’s cellphone and other electronic devices and discovered more than 500 images and 1,100 videos of child sex abuse material. Agents also found pictures and videos of the girl that Tolbert had traveled to Ohio to engage in sexual activity. @Shahidmeighan smeighan@dispatch.com