By Sonja Kosler
Staff Writer
A Dodge County sting operation set up to capture Internet sexual predators has a Richville man needing to get out of Dodge.
A three-count complaint was filed against Larry Burian McClendon, Jr. on March 20. Court records indicate the thirty-six year-old man resides on West First Street in Richville.
McClendon is charged with three felonies related to a March 17 incident. According to the criminal complaint, Kasson City Police Department officers entered an Internet chat room as a 14-year old girl and were contacted by an individual named Larry. Over a period of three days there were several conversations with the individual who was later identified as Larry Burian McClendon, Jr.
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McClendon made arrangements to meet with an officer posing as a 14-year-old girl. After travelling over 300 miles to the town 15 miles south of Rochester expecting to meet with the girl, McClendon was arrested and searched. A white powder found during the search tested positively as methamphetamine.
McClendon allegedly gave a voluntary statement to law officers and when questioned about the chat room activity indicated his intentions had been to travel to Kasson to have sex with the 14-year-old girl.
McClendon is charged with:
Count 1: Solicitation of Children to Engage in Sexual Conduct. Maximum penalty three years in prison and/or a $5,000 fine
Count 2: Criminal Sexual Conduct in the Third Degree Attempt. Maximum penalty seven and one half years in prison and/or a $15,000 fine
Count 3: Controlled Substance Crime in the Fifth Degree Possession of Methamphetamine. Maximum penalty five years in prison and/or a $10,000 fine
His next court appearance is scheduled for April 10.
