Racine Co. Sheriff's officials arrest 44-year-old man in sex sting

RACINE (WITI) -- Racine County Sheriff's officials have announced the arrest of a 44-year-old Lake County, Illinois resident whom they say was engaging in sexually explicit conversations with a subject he believed to be a 15-year-old boy.

The man was arrested on Friday, April 4th.

Racine County Sheriff's officials say through the course of the operation, the suspect made arrangements to meet with the juvenile in order to engage in sexual activity.

The man traveled to a pre-designated location where he believed he was meeting the juvenile and was subsequently taken into custody by Sheriff’s investigators.

"I'm very proud of the commitment and hard work my investigative team brings to these very intense and challenging cases.  They are truly making an impact towards the safety of our children here in Racine County.  I'm deeply committed to providing the necessary investigative resources to hunt down these sexual predators that prey upon our children," Racine County Sheriff Christopher Schmaling said.

The suspect was conveyed to the Racine County Jail without additional incident and is being held on numerous felony charges.

The investigation into this matter is ongoing.