A Foster Township man has been arrested in an Internet child sex
sting for allegedly attempting to sexually solicit what he believed
was a 13-year-old girl over the Internet.

James E. Whitman, 47, of 60 Corwin Lane, was the 62nd person
arrested under Attorney General Tom Corbett’s Child Predator Unit.
He is accused of incidents between Nov. 27 and Dec. 1.

The “girl” with whom Whitman had been communicating was actually
AG Special Agent David K. Frattare, a member of the Child Predator
Unit who assumes the identity of a child online to investigate
sexual predators who have or wish to sexually molest minors,
according to Corbett.

On Nov. 27, Frattare assumed the identity of a 13-year-old girl
named “Brianna” with an undercover screen name and an online
profile of the supposed child.

That day, the agent, while acting as Brianna, was approached in
an online chatroom known as Romance, with a sub room By Location
and the location of Pennsylvania 6, by Whitman, who was using an
online identity that agents traced back to him.

During the initial chat, Whitman identified himself as being 47,
and the agent identified himself as being a 13-year-old female.
Between Nov. 27 and Dec. 1, Whitman engaged in a series of online
chats with the agent, mostly sexual in nature, asking about “her”
sexual experiences and discussing things he wanted to with “her,”
according to the police criminal complaint.

On Nov. 27, Whitman asked the agent, posing as the girl, if
“she” was interested in “trying some serious sex” and said he
wished they lived closer together, the criminal complaint alleges.
He indicated he wanted to be “her” first sexual experience, asked
“her” preference in undergarments and gave “her” his cell phone
number, the criminal complaint alleges.

He also asked, “This is not a set-up for a sting, correct?” the
records read.

Frattare was able to trace the cell phone number Whitman gave
back to Whitman.

On Nov. 28, Whitman initiated a second contact with the agent.
The agent asked Whitman if he was serious about wanting to
meet.

“Yes, are you?” Whitman responded, and then described in detail
the sexual things he wanted to do with “her” when they met, the
records read. Whitman asked for pictures of “Brianna,” and the
agent asked for pictures of Whitman in return.

On Nov. 29, Whitman initiated another chat with the agent. The
agent asked Whitman if he had pictures to send, and Whitman used
the display box next to his chat to display three images to the
agent. According to the records, the images were sexually graphic
in nature and included pictures where Whitman was wearing women’s
lingerie.

During the explicit chat, Whitman asked the agent if “she” was
deleting the chats, adding, “Good, we don’t need to get caught,”
according to the records.

On Nov. 30, Whitman sent a message saying he could meet in Erie
the following day and that he could speak to “her” on the phone
later that day, the records read. An undercover officer acting as
the child called Whitman at the number he had provided.

The two set up a location to meet in Erie and Whitman described
what he would be driving and what shirt he would be wearing, the
records read.

On Dec. 1, Whitman arrived at the pre-arranged meeting place in
the City of Erie and was taken into custody by Erie police and
members of the AG’s Child Predator Unit. After his arrest, Whitman
provided a voluntary statement to police, admitting to soliciting
the child online and transmitting pictures from his residence, the
records read.

According to a press release from the AG’s office, agents
searched Whitman’s home and seized a laptop computer, a digital
camera, computer storage disks and a stuffed toy bear from
Whitman’s vehicle.

Whitman has been charged with criminal attempt at unlawful
contact with a minor, a first-degree felony; and criminal attempt
at unlawful contact with a minor and criminal use of a
communication facility, both third-degree felonies.

He was arraigned Friday before Erie Magisterial District Judge
Thomas Robie and remanded to Erie County Prison in lieu of $300,000
bail. He was ordered to have no contact with minors and prohibited
from using a computer.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled Jan. 22 in front of Robie.
Whitman will be prosecuted in Erie County by Senior Deputy Attorney
General Anthony Forray.