Sexual predator investigation yields fourth arrest

~ Bollinger County sheriff's department runs Internet operation.

MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- Officials with the Bollinger County Sheriff's Department arrested their fourth suspect in an ongoing undercover operation targeting online sexual predators.

Jerry Hollis, 37, of Holcomb, Mo., was charged Saturday with felony attempted statutory rape and enticement of a child.

He was arrested Friday night when he arrived at a home in Zalma, Mo., where police accused him of wanting to have sex with a 14-year-old girl.

The girl was actually an undercover sheriff's deputy posing as a 14-year-old on the Web site MySpace.com as a means to track down online sexual predators.

The deputy's undercover profile was contacted Aug. 10 by a person using the screen name "J," which was later determined to be Hollis, according to a probable-cause statement filed in the case.

Although he was told several times the age of the fake profile, Hollis engaged in sexual conversation via Yahoo! Messenger and offered to have sex with the girl, the statement read.

During some of the first chats on Yahoo! Messenger, Hollis asked for the girls' phone number, which was not given out, according to the statement.

On Aug. 23, the defendant arranged to meet with the teen in person on Tuesday, which was later moved up to Friday. Hollis was given directions to the Zalma home, about 70 miles from Holcomb, located in Dunklin County, the statement read.

When Hollis arrived at the home he was arrested by Bollinger County officers. During a search of his person, the officers found a Rough Rider condom in the defendant's pocket.

Hollis, a former Bible study class teacher, admitted he intended to have sex with the 14-year-old girl and that he knew it was wrong, the statement read. Bond was set at $5,000.

The Bollinger County Sheriff's Department began their undercover Internet operation targeting online sexual predators March 8.

The first person arrested was Irvin E. Holderbaugh, 40, of 924 E. Independence St. in Jackson. He agreed to meet with a 14-year-old girl in Jackson City Park on March 11 to have sex, prosecutors allege. He is scheduled to appear before Mississippi County Judge David Dolan Sept. 12 on a change of venue.

William J. Heyduck, 30, of Centralia, Ill., is accused of driving three hours on Independence Day to Bollinger County to meet with a profile of a 15-year-old girl. Charged with attempted statutory rape, he is up for arraignment Sept. 13.

Edward M. Murphy, 43, of Farmington, Mo., pleaded guilty last month to attempted statutory rape. He is scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 22.

kmorrison@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 127