Man Receives Four Years In Prison After Bikers Against Predators Catch
By Liz Shepherd
InkFreeNews
Ronnie Lee Hicks
WARSAW — A Shipshewana man will serve four years in prison after an online group working to expose child predators caught him trying to meet with who he believed was a 13-year-old girl.
Ronnie Lee Hicks, 57, who is listed with addresses in Shipshewana and Syracuse, was charged with child solicitation, a level 5 felony; and possession of methamphetamine and possession of cocaine, both level 6 felonies.
Hicks was sentenced in Kosciusko Superior Court One on Thursday, Oct. 19.
For child solicitation, Kosciusko Superior Court One Judge Karin McGrath sentenced Hicks to four years in the Indiana Department of Correction. He also received two-year DOC sentences for each of his drug charges. All three of Hicks’ charges will be served concurrently, or at the same time.
Hicks must register as a sex offender. He has 173 days of jail time credit.
At sentencing, Defense Attorney John Barrett said Hicks accepted responsibility for his actions.
“Thankfully there was no real victim in this case,” said Barrett.
Barrett said Hicks continued having conversations with the decoy because he felt emotionally invested.
Hicks did not provide a statement in court.
McGrath mentioned a statement Hicks provided as part of his pre-sentence investigation report. In his statement, Hicks said, “I think it’s bull**** that Bikers Against Predators can do this.”
“You pled guilty and admitted to doing this,” said McGrath.
On April 29, a Syracuse Police officer responded to a report of child solicitation. Representatives with Bikers Against Predators said Hicks drove to a business in Syracuse with intentions to meet and pick up a 13-year-old girl.
In text messages with Hicks, the decoy indicated their age and said they were in middle school. Hicks asked the decoy for nude photographs and spoke about sexual acts.
While taking Hicks into custody, the officer found plastic bags containing meth on Hicks’ person. The officer also found plastic bags containing cocaine on Hicks’ moped.
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