An online child sex predator sting resulted in the arrest of a 48-year-old man in Grundy County on Monday, June 16.
Johnny McNeal was taken into custody by the Grundy County Sheriff’s Office with assistance from the Tracy City Police Department and Constable Kyle Collins.
It is unclear what charges he is facing.
During the joint operation, McNeal allegedly engaged in sexually explicit conversations and attempted to solicit sexual acts from someone he thought was underage.
He agreed to meet the minor in Tracy City, but instead of finding a minor, he encountered Detective Avery McGinness, who was working undercover.
When McNeal entered the room, authorities went to arrest him, but he resisted.
GCSO says he was tased “for compliance” and taken into custody by deputies on the scene.
“The only thing found on his person was an unused condom, confirming his intentions,” a spokesperson for the office wrote in the Facebook post. “We’ll just say this: Mr. McNeal, these officers weren’t quite as cute as you thought they’d be.”
During the investigation, McNeal reportedly used what deputies called an “encrypted mobile app” to hide the conversation. He used a fake name on his profile as well.
“This is a reminder to parents—know what apps your children are using, who they’re talking to, and what’s happening on their devices,” the post continued.
