Former West Texas city manager convicted after arranging hotel meeting with officer posing as teens, prosecutors say

An undercover child‑predator sting led to the conviction of a former West Texas city manager after authorities say he tried to meet two minors for sex following an online exchange with an officer posing as teens, prosecutors said. 

A federal jury in Abilene convicted ex‑Anson City Manager Ervin Joe Campbell, 64, of attempted enticement of a minor after a one‑day trial this week, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Texas. 

The jury deliberated only 30 minutes before returning a guilty verdict, according to prosecutors. 

Anson, a town of about 2,500, is 23 miles north of Abilene and roughly 170 miles west of Fort Worth.

"The unfortunate and sad reality is that predators lurk in every facet of life, including those in positions of trust, like this defendant," U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould said in a news release. 

Officer posed as two teens

A Texas Attorney General's Office sergeant posed as 15‑ and 16‑year‑old minors using a Facebook Marketplace ad titled "Massage and Fun," the U.S. Attorney's Office said. 

Campbell responded to the ad and agreed to meet the minors for sex, despite being told their ages, according to evidence presented at trial.

Evidence shows planned meeting

Prosecutors say cell phone geolocation and call records showed Campbell left his home in Anson and drove about 30 minutes to an Abilene hotel to meet the minors. 

He arrived with two condoms and more than $500 in cash, agreeing to pay $500 for sex, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. 

Agents also found Campbell had saved the supposed 15‑year‑old's contact in his phone under the name "15," prosecutors said.

Sentencing set for September

Campbell is scheduled for sentencing on Sept. 17 before U.S. District Judge James Wesley Hendrix, where he faces 10 years to life in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000, prosecutors said.

The investigation involved Homeland Security Investigations Dallas, the Texas Department of Public Safety's Criminal Investigations Division, the Texas Attorney General's Office, and the Abilene Police Department.