Oregon town mayor, 71, who 'arranged to meet girl, 14, for sex after telling her he has the energy of a 12-year-old' is arrested in police sting

  • Kenneth Lewis Barrett, 71, thought he was using Facebook to connect with a 14-year-old girl, but it turned out to be a decoy page, according to an affidavit 
  • The affidavit claims he spent two weeks messaging with the girl 
  • He allegedly frequently talked about having sex with the 'girl' and asked if the she wanted him to be a 'bad boy or a granddad'
  • Barrett took office as mayor of the 5,400 person Oregon town in January

By Dailymail.com Reporter

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Winston, Oregon mayor Kenneth Barrett, 71, was arrested on Sunday

Winston, Oregon mayor Kenneth Barrett, 71, was arrested on Sunday

The 71-year-old mayor of a Southern Oregon town was arrested on Sunday after allegedly using Facebook to set up a meeting to have sex with a 14-year-old girl — who turned out to be a cop.

Court documents revealed that Kenneth Lewis Barrett, 71, spent two weeks exchanging Facebook messages with someone he thought was a 14-year-old girl, but was actually a decoy account police used to trap adults trying to solicit sex with minors, reports The Oregonian. 

Barrett, who began his two-year term as mayor of Winston, Oregon, this past January, was arrested when he pulled up at a location in Myrtle Creek, Oregon, where he and the 'gir'l had agreed to meet up.

When cops arrested him, they found a 9mm handgun in his pickup truck. 

Barrett now faces charges of second-degree online sexual corruption and unlawful possession of a firearm, after apparently admitting to police that he did not have a concealed weapons permit for the gun. 

The probable cause affidavit used by police, which led to Barrett's arrest, revealed many details of his alleged interactions with the 'girl.' 

According to the sworn statement, Barrett and the 'girl' — a Myrtle Creek police officer in real life — started communicating via Facebook on March 5 when he posted a comment on a photo on the police decoy account. He allegedly said she was 'hot.'

When the 'girl' revealed that she was only 14, he then supposedly sent messages encouraging her to 'stay in school and work hard' and to avoid men with 'sexual motivation,' according to the court document. 

Kenneth Barrett taking his oath of office while being sworn in as Winston mayor on January 5

Kenneth Barrett taking his oath of office while being sworn in as Winston mayor on January 5

The affidavit also stated that Barrett sent selfies and other pictures of himself to the decoy girl, but did not detail what could be seen in the images. 

A day after beginning communication with the 'girl,' Barrett apparently told her that she made him feel like a teen again and made her promise to keep their exchanges a secret. He also claimed to have photos that he shouldn't have, because he is a mayor — 'but that is my business,' he reportedly wrote. 

During other messaging exchanges, the affidavit claimed, Barrett repeatedly mentioned being the mayor of Winston and described himself as being '71 with the mind of a 17 year old and the energy of a 12 year old.'

The document also alleged that the mayor said he loved the 'girl'; thought it was fun to have a 14-year-old girl as a friend; was excited that he was messaging a virgin; requested that she write sexually explicit poetry for him; claimed he was going to get a divorce; repeatedly talked about sex and asked if the 'girl' wanted him to be a 'bad boy or a granddad.' 

At one point, the affidavit said, Barrett also brainstormed ways that he and the 'girl' could meet, including in a park or on Mars, where they could populate the planet together. 

On March 18, according to the affidavit, Barrett said that he had been exposed to Agent Orange during the Vietnam War and was incapable of getting her pregnant, 'But I can give you the real experience,' he noted, according to the News Review. 

After two weeks of Facebook messaging, Barrett and the decoy girl finally arranged to meet on Sunday in Myrtle Creek while the 'girl's' mother was out at work. 

According to the affidavit, Barrett again wrote about having sex with the 'girl' and asked her to 'please keep me out of jail.'  

On Sunday, at about 8.40pm according to police logs, when Barrett arrived at the designated location, he sent the decoy girl a message saying, 'The bad boy is here' — at which point cops pulled up in a squad car, flashing emergency lights. 

Barrett posted this photo on the night of November 8, when he won the Winston mayoral race

Barrett posted this photo on the night of November 8, when he won the Winston mayoral race

The main street of Winston, Oregon, the 5,400 person town that Barrett is mayor of

The main street of Winston, Oregon, the 5,400 person town that Barrett is mayor of

When questioned, Barrett allegedly told cops that he was merely there to meet 'a lady' and buy her pizza, according to the affidavit. Later, he apparently told an officer that he thought the 'girl' looked like she was 20 years old, that he only intended to get pizza with her and wanted to act as a father figure to her. 

Barrett was one of four men picked up in an online sting that kicked off in late February, according to Myrtle Creek Police Chief Don Brown, reports The Oregonian. 

City officials have not yet revealed what will happen to Barrett, who technically continues to hold the title of mayor of the 5,400 person town, according to City Manager Mark Bauer.  

'It's never a good thing for a city to have an official, elected or appointed, arrested for any reason,' Bauer said, nothing that he had not spoken to Barrett since his arrest on Sunday and was unaware of the 71-year-old's plans.  

According to the Criminal Defense Lawyer website, in Oregon, online sexual corruption of a child in the second degree is considered a Class C felony. Punishment if convicted includes a fine of up to $125,000 and/or up to five years in prison. 

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