Staff Report

Tyler James Sicks

NORTH WEBSTER — A Pierceton man was recently arrested after an online group that works to expose child predators allegedly caught him attempting to meet a 12-year-old.

Tyler James Sicks, 21, 11545 W. 200S No. 57, Pierceton, is charged with child solicitation, a level 4 felony.

On May 21, a Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office deputy responded to a complaint about a man soliciting a 12-year-old girl at North Webster Elementary School. Upon arrival at the scene, the deputy spoke with Sicks about what was happening. Sicks told the deputy he messed up.

According to court documents, Sicks said he met a girl on a dating app, where they discussed sexual topics and meeting up for sex. Sicks told the deputy he was nervous about the girl being a minor but that he got desperate. He said the girl suggested meeting at North Webster Elementary School for intercourse. Sicks admitted to driving to the school with the intention of engaging in sexual activity with a girl.

The deputy then spoke with a member of Bikers Against Predators, an online group that exposes child predators. The BAP member said Sicks came to the elementary school to meet and have a sexual encounter with a young girl. He told the deputy he posed as a young girl on a dating application. While on the app, the BAP member posing as a young girl entered a messaging conversation with Sicks; at that time, Sicks asked to meet up and have a sexual encounter. The BAP member told the deputy that he had copies of all the conversations between his organization and Sicks.

Through his investigation, the deputy learned that on May 20, Sicks entered into a conversation with an individual he believed to be a female. Messaging began on a dating application, then moved to text messages. The conversation was sexual in nature, which included Sicks sending explicit photographs to the “girl” of his genitalia.

When Sicks arrived at the elementary school, he approached a female decoy and was confronted by the BAP member, who was broadcasting the meeting on social media.

Sicks was booked in the Kosciusko County Jail on May 21, with a $15,250 surety and cash bond.