Contributed Photo/Courtesy Hartford, Connecticut Police Department: Russell D. Barney, 55, of Safford, is facing charges of attempted sexual contact with a minor under 16, attempted sexual assault, possession of child pornography, and promoting a minor for obscene performance.
By Jon Johnson
HARTFORD CONN. – Russell D. Barney, 55, of Safford, was arrested and booked into an adult detention center in Hartford, Connecticut on Saturday, April 6, on child sex charges.
According to the Hartford Police Department, Barney was apprehended after sending explicit images to who he believed was the uncle of a 15-year-old girl and agreeing to meet up with her at a gas station in Hartford for sex.
However, Barney had actually been corresponding with undercover law enforcement personnel through a collaboration between the Hartford Police Department’s Special Investigations Division and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in a special task force targeting child exploitation.
Barney allegedly shared pornographic images with the “uncle” and agreed to meet at the gas station for sex with the underage girl.
However, when Barney arrived at the gas station, he was met by Hartford Police officers and federal agents and taken into custody. Barney allegedly had child pornographic images in his possession at the time of his arrest.
He is facing multiple charges, including attempted sexual contact with a minor, attempted sexual assault, possession of child pornography, and promoting a minor for an obscene performance.
