Portland, OR. — A man from Portland who is suspected of attempting to engage in sexual actions with children made an appearance in front of a federal court on Friday.
According to the Department of Justice, Mark David McCool, who is 56 years old, was taken into custody on Thursday after arriving in Seattle at a hotel after getting there.
According to the records filed in the court, he had been misled into believing that he would be meeting up with two children, and it is alleged that he meant to sexually abuse them. On the other hand, the authorities have stated that the children of 7 and 11 years old that McCool believed he had communicated with online did not in fact exist.
The court filings indicate that McCool responded to an advertisement that was put on social media by a law enforcement officer who was acting undercover. McCool is accused of describing having sexual interests in minors during talks that took place via the Kik Messenger app over a period of six weeks.
He is also accused of offering descriptions of previous victims and collecting “trophies” from them.
Officials said that McCool was arrested in Seattle after he traveled by train via a ridesharing app to meet at a place under the alleged belief that he would be sexually abusing two youngsters. McCool was apprehended in Seattle.
According to a statement released by the Department of Justice, “When McCool was arrested, he was in possession of a variety of items that reflected his sexual interest in abusing children, including condoms, baby oil, rope, and stuffed animals.”
A number of charges have been brought against McCool, including one for attempted luring of a minor and another for travel with the intention of engaging in sexual activity with a minor.