BECKLEY, W.Va. — A Mercer County man was convicted Wednesday of soliciting a minor via computer and attempting to commit first degree sexual assault.
A Raleigh County jury found Johnnie Ray Champ, 45, of Princeton, guilty of three felony counts.
State prosecutors said Champ offered a Beckley mother, Katie Dolinger, $104 to have sex with her five-year-old daughter in June 2014.
Evidence including text messages that showed Champ requesting naked photos of the young girl were presented to the jury.
Raleigh County Chief Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Tom Truman brought in nine witnesses, two recorded interviews and presented several 911 phone calls, that of which prosecutors and Champ’s attorney rested their case Wednesday.
The two met on the dating website Plenty of Fish, but after Champ told Dolinger he was not interested, she offered to find him someone younger by sending him a picture of her daughter.
He said he thought she was joking because he had a hard time believing Dolinger actually had a child.
Champ later admitted to Beckley Police Detective Morgan Bragg that he talked about exchanging sex for money with Dolinger.
Champ now faces years behind bars.