Deputy resigns after Facebook group says he was caught in an underage sex sting

A Hamilton County Sheriff’s deputy resigned Friday after an online group conducted a sting operation and accused him of trying to meet a 15-year-old “to engage in sexual activity,” the sheriff’s office announced.

The Facebook page Parents Against Predators Nationwide broadcast the sting live Thursday night. They said Ryan Parker, 32, had been communicating with someone he believed was a 15-year-old, sent nude photos of himself and believed they were meeting for sex, our media partner WCPO-TV in Cincinnati reported.

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Parker was a deputy assigned to the jail, according to the sheriff’s office.

No criminal charges were on file Friday in Hamilton County, but Sheriff Jim Neil said he launched an administrative investigation into the video and surrounding events, WCPO reported.

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Parents Against Predators has decoys who monitor online chat rooms, according to Doug Allen, a representative from the group. He said the decoys will mention being 14 or 15 within the first three messages, which makes most people back off.

“We do this because a lot of police departments don't have cyber units,” he told WCPO.

Got a tip? Call our monitored 24-hour line, 937-259-2237, or send it to cmgohio.com.

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