The Bradford man charged in an Internet sting with trying to
solicit sex with a 13-year-old girl over the Internet has pleaded
guilty to all charges in the case.

James Whitman, 47, of Corwin Lane, entered an open plea last
Wednesday in Erie County Court to charges of attempted unlawful
contact with a minor, a first-degree felony; attempted unlawful
contact with a minor, a third-degree felony; and criminal use of a
communication facility, a third-degree felony, in a case brought by
the state attorney general’s Child Predator Unit.

An open plea means there was no plea bargain in the case.

“It was an open plea to all counts in the case,” explained Nils
Frederiksen, deputy press secretary for Attorney General Tom
Corbett. “We see many of our cases go that way.”

In fact, the Child Predator Unit has a 100 percent conviction
rate, he explained last year.

“Sentencing is scheduled for April 17 in Erie County Court,”
Frederiksen said. “He faces a theoretical maximum of 34 years and a
$55,000 fine. Whatever he gets will be up to the judge.”

Whitman remains in the Erie County Prison on $300,000 bail,
“where he has been since the day he was arrested,” Frederiksen
said.

According to the police criminal complaint, between Nov. 27 and
Dec. 1, Whitman had online chats with a person whom he believed to
be a 13-year-old girl named Brianna. The “girl” was actually an
agent with the Child Predator Unit.

Whitman approached the “girl” in a chatroom, initiated the chats
and then engaged in online chats, mostly sexual in nature, asking
about “her” sexual experiences and discussing things he wanted to
do with “her,” the complaint reads.

On Nov. 27, Whitman asked the agent, posing as the girl, if
“she” was interested in “trying some serious sex.” He said he
wanted to be “her” first sexual experience and gave “her” his cell
phone number, according to the complaint.

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

On Nov. 28, Whitman initiated a second contact with the agent,
posing as the girl. The agent asked if Whitman was serious about
wanting to meet. Whitman said he was, and then described in detail
the sexual things he wanted to do to her when they met, the
complaint reads.

Whitman asked for pictures of “Brianna,” and the agent asked for
pictures of Whitman in return.

On Nov. 29, Whitman contacted the agent posing as the girl again
and displayed three pictures of himself for her to see. According
to the complaint, the images were sexually graphic in nature and
included pictures where Whitman was wearing women’s lingerie.

On Nov. 30, Whitman sent a message saying he could meet
“Brianna” in Erie the following day and that he could speak to her
on the phone later that day. An undercover officer acting as the
child called Whitman at the number he had provided; they set up a
location to meet in Erie and Whitman described what he would be
driving and what shirt he would wear, the complaint reads.

On Dec. 1, Whitman arrived at the pre-arranged destination and
met Erie Police and members of the Child Predator’s Unit. He was
arrested and provided a statement, the complaint reads.