A Toledo man will spend time in jail for arranging for sex with an undercover police officer.
John Urso, 40, appeared Tuesday in the courtroom of Wood County Common Pleas Judge Matt Reger.
He pleaded guilty April 26 to importuning and disseminating matter harmful to juveniles, both fifth-degree felonies; and attempted unlawful sexual contact with a minor, a fourth-degree felony.
Defense attorney Martin McManus said this is his client’s first criminal offense. While he has lost his job, his wife is staying with him and he has started counseling, he said.
Wood County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Brian Boos said the state was recommending community control with some local jail time.
“I’m deeply ashamed for my actions,” Urso said. “I know what I did is wrong.”
Reger said he has received letters supporting Urso, from friends, his church and his wife.
Reger said Urso was a sex addict who led a secret life.
At the end of January, Urso solicited an undercover police officer who he thought was a 15-year-old girl.
He was arrested after he drove to Perrysburg, believing he was picking up the juvenile after she left the high school.
Urso solicited the officer on social media on Jan. 27, 28 and 31. On Jan. 28, he sent an obscene picture.
“You started talking about sex immediately, you planned to meet with her and went there immediately,” Reger said.
He added he doesn’t know how Urso could continue the conversation after finding out the girl was 15 years old. He described the conversation as “awful.”
Reger imposed a sentence of 180 days in jail followed by five years of community control, which will include sex offender treatment.
Urso’s 2013 Ford Escape, his iPhone and Apple watch will be forfeited to the Perrysburg Police Department.
The use of all cell phones and computers with access to the internet will be monitored, and the defendant will have no unsupervised contact with anyone under the age of 18, Reger said.
Urso must register as a Tier II sexual offender, which will require him to register every 180 days for 25 years.
Reger reserved prison time that could amount to 3.5 years if sentences are imposed consecutively.
