Mansfield man arrested for crimes involving juveniles
Published 12:00 am Saturday, June 3, 2023
PORTSMOUTH — A Mansfield man was arrested in Scioto County after allegedly targeting an underage female via the Snapchat app.
Scioto County Sheriff David Thoroughman said his office was contacted on Monday by the Portsmouth Police Department which had gotten a call from a concerned citizen who said they had seen a suspicious situation of several juveniles getting got into a vehicle with two adult males.
A description of the vehicle, along with the tag number, was given out to the patrol officers.
At 2:48 a.m., Patrolman Morgan and Adkins made a traffic stop on the vehicle at 2401 Gallia St., Portsmouth, and the sheriff’s office was called in to begin a special victims investigation.
Thoroughman said that the Portsmouth Police Department, which is part of the Scioto County Prosecutor’s Special Victim Unit along with the Scioto County Sheriff’s Office, contacted sheriff’s detective Sgt. Jodi Conkel.
Conkel discovered that the victim, a 13-year-old female from Lucasville, was picked up after having a conversation on Snapchat with one of the adult males.
The group then drove to Portsmouth and picked up two more juvenile girls.
Evidence was collected, which included the messages between the suspect and victim, as well as the exchange of inappropriate photo’s being sent to the victim.
The investigation revealed that suspect had drove from Mansfield to pick up the victim, along with two other juvenile girls, to have sexual conduct with one or all the juveniles.
Robert Lamont Tubbs Jr., 20, of Mansfield, was arrested and charged with fourth-degree felony attempted unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, fourth-degree felony disseminating matter harmful to a juvenile, fourth-degree felony importuning, and fifth-degree felony pandering obscenity involving a minor. Tubbs is being held in the Scioto County Jail on a $25,500 bond
Thoroughman said the investigation showcased the cooperative relationship of all law enforcement within Scioto County and the importance of citizens to call law enforcement when they observe suspicious activity.
The investigation is still ongoing and more charges would be presented to the Scioto County Grand Jury on a later date.
Anyone with information about this case can contact Conkel at 740-351-1091.