Owatonna Man Pleads Guilty in Rochester Underage Sex Sting

Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News)- An undercover minor sex solicitation sting conducted in Rochester last year has resulted in a guilty plea. 

See Also: Charges: Rochester Man Fled Police Twice, Nearly Hit Squad Cars and Rammed Garage 

Olmsted County Court records indicate the Owatonna man charged in the case entered the plea on Tuesday. 

Rochester police described the sting as “a proactive undercover operation targeting online offenders attempting to solicit minors for sexual acts.” Police made the arrest in the sting last June. 

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Owatonna Man Pleads Guilty After Meeting Fake Underage Girl at Rochester Park for Sex

36-year-old Michael Anthony Tuma was charged with one count engaging in electronic communication relating or describing sexual conduct with a child and a count of soliciting a child or person believed to be a child through electronic communication to engage in sexual conduct. 

Police said Tuma had been messaging with an officer who was posing online as a juvenile female. 

He made arrangements to meet with the fake girl at Foster-Arend Park in northwest Rochester, authorities said. Police took Tuma into custody after he arrived at the park. 

Tuma pleaded guilty to the electorning communication describing sexual conduct with a minor charge in exchange for the dismissal of the soliciting charge, court records indicate. 

His sentencing hearing has been scheduled for July.

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