Federal charges filed in child sex-crime case

TULSA, Okla. (AP) - Federal charges have been filed against a Missouri man accused of traveling to Miami, Okla., in a failed attempt to have sex with a 3-year-old.

Jeffrey Cornell Lewis, 32, of Joplin, Mo., also is accused of using text messaging and cell-phone services to try to have an adult arrange sexual contact with the child.

Ottawa County Undersheriff Bob Ernst says a Fairland woman who had been communicating with Lewis notified police after he allegedly expressed an interest in having sex with her 3-year-old child.

Ernst says officers adopted the persona of the woman online. He says Lewis traveled to a restaurant in Miami on July 27, purportedly to have sex with the child.

Prosecutors say Lewis could face 10 years to life in prison if convicted.




Monday, September 8, 2008 1:48 PM EDT


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