June 21, 2011 5:16 PM

Amish sexting case catches Ind. man soliciting underage girl, cops say

By
Barry Leibowitz
Topics
Daily Blotter

Willard Yoder

(Credit: Franklin County Sheriff's Dept./WKRC)
(CBS/WKRC) CONNERSVILLE, Ind. - A 21-year-old Amish man from Indiana is accused of sending 600 texts, nude pictures and videos to a 12-year-old girl, soliciting her for sex, according to CBS affiliate WKRC.

An Amish man...with a cellphone...soliciting an underage girl for sex.

Could this be the Anthony Weiner ripple effect?

Police say 21-year-old Willard Yoder, of Milroy, Ind., intended to have sex with the girl in his horse-drawn buggy. Yoder told them the sexting began when he sent out a random text and got a response, reported WKRC.

The girl's mother discovered that text and went to police, who then set up a sting at a Connersville, Indiana restaurant. When Yoder arrived to meet the girl - yes, in his horse-drawn buggy - police had set up a sting. He was arrested on four counts of soliciting a minor, police said.

Investigators said Yoder later confessed to sending the texts. He was released on bond, and is to appear in court in September.

Even though the Amish typically shun modern technology, Milroy residents said they are used to seeing Amish people with cellphones.

Although perhaps not Amish people with cellphones, sexting.


Add a Comment See all 34 Comments
by agnesdeo June 23, 2011 3:51 PM EDT
Amish, I hear that they do it religiously. :?)
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by agnesdeo June 23, 2011 3:51 PM EDT
Amish, I hear that they do it religiously. :?)
Reply to this comment
by djseavy June 23, 2011 11:07 AM EDT
Unfortunately, young girls know that they won't be prosecuted for being involved. Instead, they are branded "victims." They know perfectly well what they're doing (go on facebook or any other social site and you'll see what I mean.) Therapists go nuts over these cases, because the girl will most certainly require years of "healing." What a bunch of bunk. They'll deliberately set up someone then run for cover under the title of victim. It makes me sick, because there are true victims that can't get their day in court because it's jammed with cases like this. At least he was going outside his clan - incest in the Amish community is rampant. I think he wanted something that didn't have his own DNA involved.
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by MalloryDavis June 23, 2011 7:26 AM EDT
Any religion is full of contradictions.
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by rf35 June 22, 2011 5:05 PM EDT
I didn't realize that cell phones were allowed by the Amish. Do they use land line phones in their homes? If so then I guess it makes sense.

I doubt the girl let on that she was a minor. If she did, shame on him. Maybe. Are 12 year olds okay in Amish tradition? I really don't know. Maybe he wasn't doing anything unusual based on his upbringing. I think it more likely the little skank was leading him on, though. Also, how did this get to 600 messages before the mom found out something was wrong. Isn't it a parent's responsibility to keep an eye on who/what their child is texting? I'd consider charging the parents with child abuse or at least neglect.
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by Valhalla0907 June 22, 2011 2:09 PM EDT
The Mennonite kids in Kentucky used battery operated cell phones, and battery operated jam systems in the back of their horse drawn buggies. The lifestyle choice is nothing like the cliche we see in popular culture. They are not stupid.
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by wlhoppers June 22, 2011 1:56 PM EDT
I think the 12 year old is just as much to blame as the guy is. She accepted more than 600 sexts from him. She didn't go to her mom about it - her mom discovered the sexts.

And I don't think he did know he was trying to hook up with a 12-year old. I really, really don't like what he did, but I think both he and the girl are equally to blame and I think this was entrapment.

I do not in any way support what he did but I don't think he's the only guilty party here.
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by Debutopia June 22, 2011 1:25 PM EDT
And now he's won an award: http://debutopia.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-weenie-awards.html#more
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by titocordero June 22, 2011 12:14 PM EDT
Ain't that a bit@! An Amish man sexting on a cell phone. Sounds like the beginning of a bar joke. What's next.....HONEST POLITICIANS??!!
Reply to this comment
by Henri_Rochard June 22, 2011 12:25 PM EDT
Don't hold your breath waiting for an honest politician.
by mecanik-2009 June 22, 2011 11:42 AM EDT
I wonder if the girl actually said she was 12 years old. If she didn't then how would one know if she was unless he met her and what if someone said something to their wife of a sexual nature and someone 12 years old happen to intercept the message and the police got involved. Would they arrest the person for soliciting a minor. I think things are getting out of control here.
Reply to this comment
by Birdman04 June 22, 2011 11:56 AM EDT
Pay attention and read the article. It was a sting operation. In order to seal the deal and charge him he had to know her age as the sting would advertise that information to him. When the pervert showed up he was knew full what he thought her age to be.

What he didn't know was that it was really a police officer pretending to be a 12 year old girl he sent all this perverted stuff to. You can bet they have more evidence then they will ever need to put this low life behind bars for a few years.
by mecanik-2009 June 22, 2011 12:59 PM EDT
Birdman04 I think your assuming too much here. The article doesn't state all that and the police are not perfect. They make mistakes too. And I'm not betting anything they have enough evidence. This may have been entrapment when you get it into court. Not everyone is a pervert when they text something sexual.
See all 34 Comments
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