Man charged with attempting to lure a child

Posted by ChaddsFordLive on February 13, 2015

Delaware County District Attorney Jack Whelan and Bethel Township Police Chief Thomas Worrilow announced a Chester County man is facing multiple felony charges for sending explicit messages and pictures of his genitals in an attempt to lure a 13-year-old girl for sex, who he met online.

The announcement comes at the conclusion of an undercover investigation by the Delaware County Criminal Investigation Division Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and Bethel Township Police Department.

Michael Ryan Boyes, 28, of the 100 block of Lloyd Road in West Grove, faces multiple felony solicitation charges including involuntary deviate sexual assault with a person less than 16 years old (F1), solicitation of indecent assault on a person less 16 years old (F2), solicitation to photograph a child sex act (F2), unlawful contact with a minor (F2), dissemination of explicit materials to a minor (F3), and corruption of minors (F3).

On Jan. 22, Det. Sgt. Ben Ash of the Bethel Township Police Department contacted the Delaware County Criminal Investigation for assistance with an investigation involving an online predator who was communicating with a 13-year-old Bethel Township girl. That same day, CID Det. Ed Pisani and Det. Ken Bellis, both with the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, met with the mother and her 13-year-old daughter.

The victim told detectives that she met various people by using anonymous chat programs on her iPhone. She told authorities that after meeting people she would then transition to using her cell phone to communicate by text message. One of those individuals she met was named Michael, who she believed to be around 30-years-old. The messaged indicated Michael lives in Chester County and works for a construction company. The conversations also indicated he was aware of the victim’s young age.

After obtaining permission to use the victim’s accounts and cell phone, Pisani began communicating with Michael Boyes, acting as the 13-year-old girl. On Jan. 23, Det. Pisani exchanged numerous text messages with Boyes, who believed he was talking to the 13-year-old girl. Boyes talked about how he disliked his girlfriend, and that he would want to take the female victim on a motorcycle ride. Boyes ended the conversation saying his girlfriend was coming home and he couldn’t talk until 4 p.m. the following day, after his girlfriend left for work.

The conversations continued for the next several days, with Michael saying he wanted to hang out with the victim and “sit back, snuggle, and watch a movie or something.” On Jan. 26, Pisani, acting as the 13-year-old girl, sent a text to Michael asking if he missed her. From then on they began exchanging messages about school and work. At one point in the conversation when Boyes learned the victim was in the seventh grade, he told her he didn’t care and said “I’m cool if your cool.”

On Jan. 28, the conversation became sexually explicit with Boyes asking if she ever gave oral sex, and whether she masturbated. During the conversation Boyes detailed sex acts he wanted to perform with her. On Feb. 2, Pisani, acting as the 13-year-old girl, had a conversation with Boyes about what would happen if they were ever to meet. In response, Boyes replied that he would teach her what to do and then described a sex act. The following day Det. Pisani resumed the conversation with Boyes which continued to be sexual. Boyes proceeded to send two pictures of his genitals to who he believed was a 13-year-old girl, stating that he would send more pictures of himself if she sent pictures of her genital area.

Michael Ryan Boyes was arraigned the evening of Feb. 12 by Magisterial District Judge Diane Holefelder who set bail at $100,000 cash with conditions of no contact with minors, psychosexual evaluation and no Internet. The preliminary hearing is Feb. 26 before Judge Wendy Roberts.

“I would like to commend Det. Sgt. Ben Ash of Bethel Police who handled the initial stages of the investigation, as well as Det. Pisani, Det. Bellis and Det. Hoffner for their swift action to apprehend this dangerous child predator,” said District Attorney Jack Whelan in a press release. “While the Internet is a valuable learning tool for our children, it also provides a doorway for sexual predators to attempt to lure and harm children. It is imperative that as parents we continue to monitor the online and cell phone activity of our children to protect them from predators that are out there looking for victims.”