Sex offender charged after communicating with investigator who was posing as teen

Daryl Prater



RACINE COUNTY -- A 32-year-old Oshkosh man was arrested in Racine County on Tuesday, July 24 after communicating with an investigator who was posing as a 15-year-old girl. Officials say Daryl Prater thought he was communicating with 15-year-old and ultimately arranged to pick up the girl for sex.

Daryl Prater is currently being held in the Racine County Jail on the following charges:


    Officials say Prater traveled from his Oshkosh residence with the intent to meet with a 15-year-old girl for sex.  Prater had been chatting online with a Racine County Sheriff’s Investigator.  The investigator was posing as a 15-year-old girl.  Prater arranged to pick up the girl at a local business in Sturtevant and take her back to his home in Oshkosh.

    When Prater arrived in the area, he sent a text asking the girl to step out of the business.  He also texted her that he hoped that this was not a police sting.

    When a sheriff’s squad car activated his emergency lights and siren to conduct a traffic stop on Prater, he stepped on the gas in an attempt to flee.  After a short pursuit reaching 60 m.p.h., Prater pulled into a business parking lot and was taken into custody.

    Wednesday, July 25th a search warrant was executed at Prater’s residence in Oshkosh and further evidence was recovered.

    Prater is a registered sex offender and is currently on parole from a similar type arrest made by the Oshkosh Police in 2014 where Prater carried out a sexual assault of a 15-year-old victim.

    Prater served prison time on that conviction.