An Ironwood man has entered a plea to a charge of child enticement in Oneida County Court.
26 year old Benjamin Lahti entered a no contest plea Friday(9/19) morning.
In March of 2013, state and county law enforcement officials posed as a 15 year old girl and responded to an on-line ad Lahti had posted. According to the criminal complaint, Lahti sent sexually explicit messages and a graphic photo to the fake girl. He traveled to Minocqua to meet the girl, but instead was greeted by law enforcement officials who arrested him.
Child enticement is a Class D Felony with a maximum penalty of imprisonment up to 25 years and fines not to exceed $100,000. Oneida County Judge Michael Bloom ordered a presentence investigation and set the case for sentencing on December 4, at 2:00 pm.
This complex investigation was conducted by the Door County Sheriff’s Department, Minocqua Police Department, Oneida and Price County Sheriff’s Departments and the Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) of the Wisconsin Department of Justice.
