Rhode Island

Conn. Baseball Coach Accused of Solicitation of a Minor in Rhode Island

A man was arrested Saturday for allegedly using the internet to solicit a minor to engage in sexual activity at a Warwick, Rhode Island hotel.

The Rhode Island State Police and Rhode Island Department of Public Safety said Christopher Merchant, 33, of Canterbury, Connecticut was charged with two counts of indecent solicitation of a child, possession of child pornography and three counts of electronically disseminating indecent material to a minor.

Merchant was vice president and coach with the Plainfield Little League in Plainfield, Connecticut. There is no evidence of involvement with members of the Plainfield Little League at this time.

After an investigation this January, Merchant was identified as a man who engaged in a series of communications with an alleged 14-year-old male. The conversations became sexually explicit and Merchant allegedly disseminated indecent material and solicited a 14-year-old minor to engage in sexual activity.

Merchant was arrested Friday night where agents found child pornography on his cell phone. He is held on a $100,000 bail pending arraignment in District Court on Monday.

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