COLUMBUS, Ohio — A California man who flew to Columbus to have sex with a 14-year-old girl was sentenced to 17 years in prison on Thursday.
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Ohio, 28-year-old Kameron Tolbert pleaded guilty in August 2023 to sexually exploiting a minor and possessing child sexual abuse material.
In August 2022, law enforcement officers were dispatched to a home in Jackson, Ohio, after Tolbert had jumped through the teen's bedroom window when family members discovered him, according to court documents. Tolbert reportedly ran away and then got into a vehicle and drove off.
The next day, the principal at the victim's high school identified Tolbert's vehicle in the school parking lot and notified school resource officers. Tolbert was detained at the school and he admitted to being there to see the victim.
Authorities say Tolbert met the victim online six months prior and started chatting with her through social media. He admitted to flying from California to Columbus to meet the victim at her Jackson home. He parked near her house and snuck into her home through a bedroom window to avoid security cameras at the front door. He admitted to engaging in sexual intercourse with her at her home on Aug. 21 and Aug. 22.
A forensic examination of Tolbert's digital devices found more than 500 images and 1,100 videos showing child sexual abuse material of minors.
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