A Scioto County man and woman charged with attempting to meet up with a teenage girl for sex have made their first court appearance, and are scheduled for another.

Jeffrey L. Sexton, 39, and Patricia K. Arndt, 31, both of 1304 Waller St., were arraigned Monday in Portsmouth Municipal Court, on three counts each.

Bond was set at $25,000 cash or surety on the felony charges and $1,000 bond, which they were allowed to sign on the misdemeanor charge.

Sexton and Arndt were charged with attempted sexual conduct, a fifth-degree felony, importuning, also a fifth-degree felony, and disseminating, a first-degree misdemeanor.

The two were arrested following an undercover operation via the Internet by Scioto County Sheriff's Office, Portsmouth Police Department detectives, Scioto County Prosecutor's Office and Fairborn Police Department.

According to the report from Scioto County Sheriff Marty V. Donini, an undercover Fairborn police officer posed as a 14-year-old female on the Internet, and contact was made by Sexton and Arndt.

Donini said the couple sent pornographic images of themselves to the supposed 14-year-old girl - who was, in reality, an undercover officer - and after several contacts via the Internet and by phone, they were scheduled to meet at an undisclosed Portsmouth location on Friday to have sexual relations.

When the couple arrived, they were arrested, and a search warrant was obtained for their residence.

Capt. David Hall, of Scioto County Sheriff's Office, said parents should be aware of their children's activity on the computer.

"You definitely need to know what your kids are looking at. I've even done that with my kids before, looked to see what they were looking at and who they're talking to," Hall said. "Even though they are doing innocent things, people will try to attach themselves to your kids - innocent things - and get to them that way."

Hall said while it is not realistic parents can watch their children 24 hours a day, seven days a week, they still need to check as often as possible what their children are doing on the computer.

He expressed confidence in convictions of the two adults involved in the sting, because of the history of success of the Fairborn police officer who posed as the teenager.

"This guy (the Fairborn Police officer) has had 101 cases and has successfully prosecuted every case," Hall said.

Both Sexton and Arndt are scheduled to appear again in Judge Richard Schisler's courtroom Friday at 11 a.m.

Donini said more charges will be presented to a Scioto County Grand Jury at a later date, and he urged anyone with information about the case to contact Scioto County Sheriff's Office at (740) 354-7566. He said all calls will remain anonymous.

FRANK LEWIS can be reached at (740) 353-3101, ext. 232.