KINGMAN – Another defendant snagged in an investigation where a male detective posed as a 13-year-old girl is going to the Arizona Department of Corrections for sex offense convictions. Mohave County Superior Court Judge Rick Lambert imposed a 15-year prison term Monday for Shane McHone, 30, Kingman.
Judge Lambert also sentenced McHone to lifetime probation once his prison sentence is completed, agreeing with prosecutor Karolina Czaplinska who said the convict should be monitored to make certain he doesn’t target minors again.
The Mohave County Sheriff’s office operation used a detective whose social media posts drew responses from men whom he diverted to text messaging while they believed they were flirting with an underage girl. In many cases men solicited sexually explicit images and/or activity.
McHone was taken into custody in Aug. 2019 at a north Kingman park where he expected to hook up with the fantasy teen.
Defense attorney Randy Craig said his client is remorseful, sad, depressed and embarrassed. He said McHone has no prior criminal history and can succeed on probation with the support of his family.
“He has never done anything like this and I don’t believe he ever will again,” Craig told the Court.
Dave Hawkins
