Man 'built like SpongeBob' tried to meet minor for sex: Cops
Share and Follow

Background: Randolph County Jail in Winchester, Indiana (Google Maps). Inset: James Raber (Randolph County Sheriff’s Department).

An Indiana man was allegedly conned by police into believing an undercover officer was a 13-year-old girl, with the man reportedly requesting all manner of sexual acts and describing himself as “built like SpongeBob.”

James A. Raber, 63, was charged in Randolph County Circuit on May 29 with attempted child molestation and child solicitation.

Love true crime? Sign up for our newsletter, The Law&Crime Docket, to get the latest real-life crime stories delivered right to your inbox.

Communication between the Randolph County Sheriff’s Department deputy and Raber began on the evening of May 8 after the deputy created a fake profile on Facebook Messenger, according to a probable cause affidavit signed by the deputy and obtained by Law&Crime.

“Guess how old I turned on my birthday?” the fake account said that night, to which Raber reportedly responded, “let me guess 15.”

“Nope 13!” the undercover detective replied.

In the subsequent days, Raber sent an abundance of sexually explicit messages and inquired about how the girl, given the name “Steph,” could “hide out” with him in “safe country,” according to the affidavit. Raber allegedly believed “Steph” was staying with another man, “constantly” asking if she was having sex with someone else and saying he was “jealous,” the court document continued.

He allegedly asked the fake profile to send a photo of herself and even offered to pick her up and help her take a bus down to Florida, where the fake profile stated they wanted to go, but not before she performed sex acts on him.

According to the affidavit, when they arranged to meet, Raber again asked “my sexy girl” if she was having sex with the person Raber believed was the other man, and indicated he was pleased that she did not.

“Now I’m a very big tall guy, 6’4” 295 lbs, I’m built like Spongebob,” he said, adding a vulgar sexual promise: “So if you ever had a fantasy about f—ing … SpongeBob, that’s me.”

On May 29, when the detective posing as the girl suggested a difficulty in being able to leave to arrive at their agreed-upon meeting spot, a Village Pantry in Farmland, Indiana, Raber is said to have replied, “WTF, that really screws me driving to there today.” He at one point messaged for her to not walk to the bar where he was, “because they have cameras in the lot,” per the court document.

Once the fake profile said they were leaving to meet, Raber reportedly left the bar and went to the Village Pantry, where Farmland Police Department officers and Randolph County sheriff’s deputies were waiting for him. They detained him “without conflict.” The detective who signed the affidavit said he confirmed Raber was the suspect when, during their interview, Raber confirmed that it was “his account that he was having the conversation with ‘Steph.”” Raber’s vehicle also reportedly matched the one he described to the fake profile.

Share and Follow
You May Also Like

“Cold Justice Probes Case of Missing Indiana Mother Who Issued Eerie Warning and Abandoned Wedding Rings”

The last time Indiana mom Brandy Wilson saw her coworkers at a…

Fleeing Walmart Shoplifter Tries to Stab Cop With Screwdriver

A Michigan shoplifter was charged with assault over the weekend after he…

Police Report: Woman Fatally Shoots Boyfriend Following Alleged Choking Incident

Share copy link Background: The Washington County Sheriff”s Office in Potosi, Mo.…

Lawsuit Claims Nursing Home Negligence Worsened 72-Year-Old’s Deadly Infection

Inset: Samuel Frank Ray, Sr. (Michael Hill Trial Law). Background: The Arbors…

‘Who took her?’: Indiana Mother Missing After Suspicious House Fire, Purse and Car Left Behind

Police in Indiana are searching for a 46-year-old woman who vanished after…

Anonymous Tip Leads to Tennessee Couple Wanted For Child Abuse, Neglect

A Tennessee couple was arrested this week, 10 months after their indictment…

Young Boy Finds Support After Tragic Loss of Mother and Sister

What began as just another school day in Las Vegas changed instantly…

Man Accused of Fatally Shooting Sister-in-Law and Niece

Inset: Charles “Chuck” Readey (New Hampshire Attorney General”s Office). Background: A covered…