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Last updated on Monday, April 2, 2018
(BLOOMINGTON) - A Bloomington Fire Department captain was arrested early Friday morning on felony charges of sexual misconduct with a minor and child solicitation.
Bloomington police arrested 44-year-old Robert Sears of Mitchell after police say a detective pretended to be a 14-year-old girl and lured Sears to a late-night meeting at a girls' sleepover where the detective said there would be no parental supervision.
Sears has been a member of the Bloomington Fire Department for 20 years.
According to Bloomington Police Deputy Chief Joe Qualters, school officials reported a 14-year-old girl may be having inappropriate relations with a 19-year-old man she met on the social media website Whisper.
A detective found messages on the girl's cellphone that began in February with a man who said he "worked 24-hour shifts at the fire department" and instructed the girl to erase their messages, according to a news release.
"Some of the communication from Sears was quite vulgar and graphic in describing sexual activity," Qualters says.
A detective, posing as the 14-year-old girl, led Sears to believe she was spending the night at a friend's house, and that no parents would be home. Sears then asked if he could sneak into the house. The conversation then turned sexual in nature and the detective posing at the girl instructed Sears to buy condoms and gave him the address of where the sleepover would be.
Police conducted surveillance near the address at a house off Sare Road. Officers pulled over a truck that drove by the home slowly - twice. The driver was Sears. Police found Sears had brought condoms.
During a police interview Sears admitted he drove to Bloomington from Mitchell and stopped to purchase condoms on the way "for purposes of possibly having sex with one or both of the juveniles."
"He also indicated to engaging in sexual activity with the 14-year-old on two previous occasions in Bloomington, including a motel and at Griffy Lake."
Bloomington Fire Department Chief Jason Moore said Sears has been placed on administrative duties that prevent contact with the public until formal charges are filed by the Monroe County Prosecutor's Office. The Board of Public Safety will review those charges and make a decision about Sears' employment. Moore says he will recommend that Sears be placed on administrative leave without pay.
"The alleged behavior of this individual who works at the Bloomington Fire Department is not representative of our department's values nor overall membership. Our top priority is to always ensure excellent professional service to the public, who place their trust in us," Moore stated in a press release.
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