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.