Montgomery County man accused of soliciting teenage boy for sex

Norristown, Pa. (WTXF) Authorities announced the arrest of a Montgomery County man accused of using the Internet to arrange a sexual encounter with a person he believed to be a 14-year-old boy. The person was actually an undercover agent with the Office of Attorney General's Child Predator Section.

According to investigators, Charles Edward Christmann, 44, was arrested Monday following an online investigation conducted by the Child Predator Section. Christmann was taken into custody at a predetermined meeting location, where he believed the sexual encounter would take place, investigators alleged in a criminal complaint.

The Child Predator Section commenced this investigation by examining online advertisements to search for individuals attempting to exploit children. An undercover agent, posing as a 14-year-boy, made contact with a person later identified as Christmann, according to investiators.

Christmann is accused of sending several sexually explicit photographs and messages to the undercover agent. It is alleged that he later arranged the in-person meeting, but was arrested by agents with the Child Predator Section and the Upper Merion Township Police Department.

Christmann is charged with two counts each of unlawful contact with a minor and one count each of criminal attempt to commit involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, criminal attempt to commit statutory sexual assault, solicitation to commit sexual abuse of children and criminal use of a communication facility.

He is being held in Montgomery County Prison in lieu of $500,000 bail. A preliminary hearing is tentatively scheduled for Aug. 18.