California man admits flying to Columbus to have sex with 14-year-old girl he met online

A California man will likely face 15 to 20 years in federal prison after pleading guilty Friday to flying to Ohio a year ago to have sex with a 14-year-old girl he met online.

Kameron Tolbert, 28, of Suisin City, California, entered guilty pleas in U.S. District Court in Columbus to charges of sexually exploiting a minor and possessing child pornography.

Federal court records show that Tolbert flew to Ohio from Sacramento, California to Columbus on Aug. 20, 2022 with the intent of meeting the teenage girl at her home in Jackson, Ohio, located about 30 miles southeast of Chillicothe and 75 miles from downtown Columbus.

Tolbert obtained a vehicle and parked near the teen’s home, entering through her window on Aug. 21 and 22, court records said. When confronted by adults in the 14-year-old’s bedroom on Aug. 22, court records state Tolbert jumped out the bedroom window, running on foot and then fleeing in the vehicle.

Tolbert was arrested the next day at a high school in Jackson. The principal of the school identified Tolbert’s vehicle when police asked about it.

Court records show Tolbert had met the girl online about six months earlier, and been chatting with her on various social media applications, including Discord.

Law enforcement looked at Tolbert’s electronic devices and discovered more than 500 images and more than 1,100 videos of child sexual abuse involving both prepubescent and pubescent children. There were also images of the 14-year-old with Tolbert engaged in sexual conduct, court records said.

On Friday, Tolbert agreed to plead guilty in exchange for a recommended prison sentence of between 15 and 20 years. He will be formally sentenced at a later date by Chief Judge Alegenon Marbley of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio.

bbruner@dispatch.com

@bethany_bruner

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: California man admits flying to Columbus to have sex with teen girl