Michael Joseph Smith, 39, of Barnhart is facing 10 years in prison for traveling to Collinsville, Ill., to meet an agent posing as an underage girl, according to the plea agreement.
On March 5, Smith pleaded guilty to a felony charge of attempted enticement of a minor. Smith’s attorney and the prosecuting attorney agreed to recommend the 10-year prison sentence, court records show.
Smith is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 10 by U.S. Judge David W. Dugan in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois in East St. Louis, according to court documents.
In his plea agreement, Smith admitted that on June 23, 2021, he contacted a girl identifying herself as “Lindsey” on a social media dating app. The person he contacted actually was an FBI agent.
Smith said after the two connected through the app, they communicated through text messages, and during those conversations, the agent said she was 14 years old. Smith eventually agreed to meet her for sex at a home in Collinsville, Ill., according to the agreement.
When Smith arrived at the home on June 26, 2021, he was arrested. Investigators discovered he had brought condoms and a White Claw alcoholic beverage as he said he would in the text messages, the agreement said.