HUFFMAN

Two convicted sex offenders face new charges in Washington County following an investigation between June 30 and Friday.

Robert Jonathan Huffman, 40, 797 Channel Lane, Marietta, and Levi James Robinson, 30, 130 Goose Run Road, were arrested Friday on charges of importuning, a fourth-degree felony, and possessing criminal tools, a fifth-degree felony.

Washington County Sheriff Larry Mincks noted Friday the arrests were made around 1 a.m. following a human trafficking investigation.

“Anybody that’s making inappropriate or unusual gestures or remarks or trying to start up conversations with their children, girls or boys, I’d certainly be careful and monitor your child’s activities,” Mincks warned. “You’ve got to protect your kids and there are predators out there. Make sure that you know everybody that your child is having contact with.”

Sgt. Kelly McGilton explained that the investigation allegedly began after the pair initiated the conversations on social media.

ROBINSON

“These two subjects reached out, the one asking if he knew her from somewhere,” said McGilton. “He knew she was 15 years old. One made a comment that he was twice her age.”

Both Huffman and Robinson have been previously convicted of sex offenses involving minors.

Robinson was convicted of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor on April 26, 2012, and released from incarceration in June of 2013 and remains a registered Tier I sex offender.

Huffman was convicted of gross sexual imposition in 2011 and registered as a Tier II sex offender.

According to the sheriff’s office press release, Huffman and Robinson engaged in conversations and solicited sexual activity with who they thought was a 15-year-old female but was in fact a law enforcement officer posing as a 15-year-old female.

During these conversations, the sheriff’s office alleges, Huffman talked explicitly about how he was going to have sex with the alleged 15-year-old female and would take her to Cleveland with him.

Robinson also allegedly had explicit conversations about having sex with the alleged 15-year-old female, sent photographs of his private area, and offered to provide alcohol after meeting up with her.

“It’s a grooming process, these offenders and sexual predators know what to say to groom,” said McGilton. “They’re going to attack Instagram, chatting apps, you have to be very, very cautious and know what your children are doing.”

She said child sexual predators often look for the naivete or inexperience of a child to prey upon.

“Their behavior is not changing,” said McGilton. “These two individuals seem to target individuals older than 13 but younger than 16, that’s what was (modus operandi) … they’re repeat offenders and it’s very disturbing. They know what to say to these juveniles to get and keep their attention and at that age, they’re so impressionable, they just latch on to anybody who wants to give them attention and it is very scary what these offenders are capable of doing.”

Janelle Patterson may be reached at jpatterson@mariettatimes.com.