May 21, 2023

Kansas man caught in FBI child sex sting

Posted May 21, 2023 12:00 AM

KANSAS CITY– A Kansas man was indicted by a federal grand jury this week after traveling to Missouri to meet a 14-year-old girl, who was actually an undercover FBI employee, for illicit sex.

William H. Reichart, 60, Topeka was charged in a three-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury. The indictment replaces a criminal complaint that was filed against Reichart on April 28, 2013, and includes additional charges.

According to an affidavit filed in support of the original federal criminal complaint, members of the FBI Child Exploitation Task Force were engaged in covert chat sessions on platforms known to be frequented by adults with sexual fetishes, including adults attempting to lure children into sexual acts. An online covert law enforcement officer, posing as a 14-year-old girl, communicated with Reichart through a social media  application.

Reichart engaged in sexually explicit conversations with the undercover law enforcement officer, the affidavit says, and sent pornographic images and video of himself. The affidavit says they made arrangements to meet in person for sexual contact. Law enforcement officers conducted surveillance of Reichart as he left his residence on April 27, 2023, and drove to the agreed-upon meeting location. When Reichart arrived for the meeting, he was arrested without incident.

This week’s indictment charges Reichart with one count of attempting to travel with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, one count of attempting to entice a minor to engage in sexual activity, and one count of attempting to transfer obscene material to minor.