Child sex crime, Franklin man sentenced to 5 years in prison
Joshua Farrell
FRANKLIN, Wis. - A Franklin man convicted of sending sexual and disturbing messages to what he thought was a teenage girl was sentenced Thursday to five years in prison.
Joshua Farrell, 42, pleaded guilty in September to using a computer to facilitate a child sex crime. He was also sentenced to three years of extended supervision and must register as a sex offender.
According to a criminal complaint, police went to a Milwaukee address in January and interviewed members of "Bikers Against Predators." The organization had rented the home "to catch people who came to the address to have sexual intercourse/contact with a person" who was posing as a 13-year-old girl.
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Members of the group told police they chatted with Farrell, the complaint states, who identified himself by name but said he was 31 years old. Chats when switched to text messages – and those texts were also shared with the officer.
The complaint said when Farrell arrived at the Milwaukee home, he saw members of the "Bikers Against Predators" group and took off running. Members of the group chased Farrell and were able to note his license plate and a description of his vehicle. The officer ran the license, which was listed to Farrell.
According to the complaint, Farrell was ultimately arrested at his house. He admitted that he was "chatting with a 13-year-old." Farrell told investigators he wasn't going to have sexual intercourse with her.
"He instigated the sexual nature of the conversation and escalated it and took steps to get in contact with the person he believed to be underage," said Prosecutor Tyler James Rubenzer.
Prosecutors also said Farrell was high on drugs (crack and cocaine). He again stated he wasn't going to have sex with the 13-year-old – he was just "stupid and bored."