A 19-year-old man who agreed to pay for sex with a 15-year-old female was placed on unsupervised probation for a year, and his case has been continued for dismissal.
Ochan Okello Ochan, of Rochester, was charged with the felony in November. On Friday, Olmsted County District Court Judge Christina Stevens handed down the sentence; if Ochan has no violations during his probationary year, the charge will be dismissed.
The case began Nov. 2, when a member of the Rochester police street crimes unit placed an advertisement in the escort section of Backpage.com, a website that contains a section for adult services. Members of the unit often monitor the site and place false ads to target people involved in prostitution, or respond to ads placed by others.
The phone number in the ad was linked to a phone an undercover officer was using.
About two hours after the ad was placed, a man — later identified as Ochan — called and asked about services. The officer said she was busy, but had a 15-year-old friend who was available; according to the complaint, Ochan was told at least three other times that the friend was 15.
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Ochan agreed to meet and pay the 15-year-old $50 for sexual services, court documents say. He was arrested at the meeting place and searched; officers allegedly found $50 in cash and a condom in his pocket.
Ochan reportedly admitted he planned to have sex with the girl, but thought she was 18. He eventually acknowledged that he'd been told the girl was 15, the complaint says, and that he'd found the ad on Backpage.com.
