Montgomery County man caught in Child Predator Section web

A Montgomery County man was arrested on Mondayafter allegedly using the internet to arrange a sexual encounter with someone he thought was a 14-year-old boy.

Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane’s office announced the arrest of Norristown residentCharles Edward Christmannon Tuesday at the location the alleged sexual predator was to meet the young boy. The boyChristmann expected to meet was actually an undercover agent with theOffice of Attorney General’s Child Predator Section.

“When I took office, I wanted to be proactive in finding and locking up child predators,” Kane said.”This investigation, which led to the arrest of an individual who clearly intended to sexually abuse a child, was just the kind of case I envisioned.Coming on the heels of our 500th arrest like this, I want to reassure the public that our Child Predator Section is working every day to keep our children safe.”

Christmann, 44, 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 has been 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.