MARIETTA, Ohio (October 19, 2016) - A registered sex offender was arrested Tuesday in Washington County after allegedly using social media to communicate with an undercover officer, who the Marietta man thought was an underage female.
Officers with the Washington County Sheriff's Office say they received information from the Adult Parole Authority in March 2016 that Tracy Bryan Bronson Jr., age 26, of Marietta, was possibly using the fake name "Bryan Foster" on Facebook, which is a direct violation of the terms of Bronson's parole.
Detectives, posing as a 14-year-old female, conducted several undercover chats with Bronson while he was claiming to be Foster. According to officers, these conversations were sexually charged and included requests by Bronson for lewd images of the minor female. Search warrants were executed on social media, and information was gathered that, officers say, confirm Bronson was operating on social media as Bryan Foster.
Bronson was reportedly interviewed by detectives on Tuesday, October 18, at which time he confessed to creating the account under a false name and chatting online with the child.
Bronson was placed under arrest and has been charged with Third Degree Felony Attempted Pandering of Sexually Oriented Material involving a Minor, as well as a Parole Violation.
