BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Just four days after exchanging messages with a decoy, police say a Bloomington man showed up to meet what he thought was a teenage girl — and brought a 2-year-old child with him.
Nathaniel Clark, 40, was charged with child solicitation in Monroe Circuit Court 2 on Wednesday.
Investigators said an undercover officer began a conversation with Clark on the Whisper app on March 31. In the very first exchange, the decoy told Clark she was a 15-year-old girl, court documents show.
“May I ask why you messaged me? What did you have in mind?” wrote a profile police say belonged to Clark.
When the girl said a friend told her the app was fun, Clark reportedly told her that it was fine to talk to him.
Court documents show the next messages quickly ventured on to sex and how they could hang out. Pictures were eventually exchanged, and the messages continued for several days. At one point, Clark’s alleged profile stated, “What about getting together then and me getting you naked.”
Investigators said Clark arranged to meet with the decoy on April 4 at a fast food restaurant on S. Walnut Street.
Police surrounded Clark’s car when he arrived and took him into custody. A 2-year-old child was found in a car seat in the back, as well as a handgun in the rear pocket of the seat directly in front of her.
Court documents show Clark asked if he was being detained for the “chat on the Whisper app.” He then told police he thought he was engaging in “age play” with an adult who was acting younger than their age.
Detectives said during the questioning, Clark eventually admitted to being “curious” about being with a 15-year-old. He also reportedly said if the decoy was actually 15 and wanted to hook up, then he would have done so.
Child solicitation is a level 4 felony in the state of Indiana and is punishable of up to 12 years in prison.
