5 Men Face Charges in Task Force Child Sex Sting

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — A child sex sting operation by a Wyoming law enforcement team has resulted in federal felony charges against five men.

The Wyoming Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force started running advertisements last summer on Internet classified advertising sites.

The task force arrested five men who responded to the advertisements. Prosecutors say the men told undercover agents they wanted to have sex with children.

Robert Leazenby is leader of the task force, headquartered in Cheyenne. Leazenby says the response to the advertisements was voluminous.

Leazenby says he believes actual child prostitution is happening in Wyoming. He says using the Internet to seek children for sex is a serious problem nationwide.

Three of the defendants have been convicted at trial, one has pleaded guilty and charges are pending against the fifth.