LAKE HAVASU CITY – A five-year prison term was ordered Monday for a Lake Havasu City man who was caught in an undercover investigation targeting adults seeking sex with underage girls. The punishment Mohave County Superior Court Judge Derek Carlisle imposed for Dean Tarnow, 46, was stipulated in a plea agreement.
The deal convicting Tarnow of a reduced charge of attempted sexual conduct with a minor and to luring a minor under the age of 15 for sexual exploitation requires Tarnow to serve ten year’s probation once released from prison.
Tarnow is one of more than 20 men from Parker to Las Vegas who were indicted through an operation involving a Mohave County Sheriff’s detective who pretended to be a teenager.
Prosecutor Karolina Czaplinska said Tarnow posted an ad on Craig’s List expressing interest in meeting women in the area of Lake Havasu City and Parker. Czaplinska told Judge Carlisle that Tarnow thought he was communicating with a 13-year-old girl when a detective responded to the ad.
Czaplinska said Tarnow solicited sexual activity while believing he was communicating with a teenager. She said he sent nude images of himself and asked the presumed teen to reciprocate.
The prosecutor said the dialogue evolved into a planned meeting at a park in Lake Havasu. Officers placed Tarnow in custody at a nearby fast food restaurant where he placed an order intending to deliver food during the meeting that was interrupted by his arrest.
- Dave Hawkins
Better Judge to control harm special targeting to Order 10 (TEN) YEARS JAIL and 5 years probation
Better Judge to control harm special targeting to Order 10 (TEN) YEARS JAIL and 5 years probation