CLEARFIELD, Pa. — A Clearfield man will be spending time in state prison for his online relationship with a girl he believed was only 15 years old.
Bryant Eugene Sellers, 37, pleaded guilty to felony counts of criminal attempt/statutory sexual assault, three felony counts of unlawful dissemination of intimate image, and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia on Monday during sentencing court, according to a court employee.
President Judge Paul E. Cherry sentenced him to serve 20 months to four years in state prison with an additional three years of reentry probation.
Sellers is to have no unsupervised contact with any female under the age of 18. The charges require he register with authorities under Megan’s Law, but an expert determined he cannot be classified as a sexually violent predator. He must also complete mandatory sex offender counseling.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, police received information regarding Sellers who was conversing with a decoy from the 814 Pred Hunters group.
In their messages, the decoy said she was a 15-year-old girl. When she discovered his age, she told him she would remove him from their social media conversation. He responded “Hey. . . long as you or someone don’t put me in jail I don’t care,” it says in the criminal complaint.
He asked her for photos, and she responded with photos of a clothed female. He “persisted” in discussing sexual topics and reportedly sent her a photo of himself with his privates exposed.
Sellers also allegedly mentioned getting some “go” which is a slang term for methamphetamine and asked if the girl was willing to try it with him.
The two agreed to meet at the Clearfield County Fairgrounds, near the horse barn. When Sellers arrived on a bicycle to meet with the girl, police were waiting for him, and officers took him into custody. Police found drug paraphernalia and a small quantity of methamphetamine on his person, according to the report.
In an interview with investigators, Sellers allegedly admitted to messaging the decoy, believing she was 15, and to sending the photo, police said.
