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NORFOLK

A Norfolk man is in custody after his arrest last Friday for charges related to the alleged exploitation of a minor in Isle of Wight County.

Emmett Lewis Barnard III of the 7500 block of Yorktown Drive in Norfolk was arrested in Carrollton, according to Lt. Tommy Potter, spokesman for the Isle of Wight County Sheriff’s Office.

Potter said the suspect began an internet chat on March 6 with who he thought was a female under the age of 15. Instead, it was an undercover profile of investigators assigned to the Bedford County Virginia Sheriff’s Offices Southern Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. That organization worked in conjunction with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children as well as the IOW Sheriff’s office.

“During these conversations, Barnard, 32, sent sexually explicit photographs and videos of himself to the undercover profile,” stated Potter. “As well, the IT specialist with the Virginia Beach City Public School System requested the undercover profile to send him photographs and videos. Barnard, then decided to travel to Isle of Wight County to meet with the undercover agents for the purpose of engaging in sex with the minor.”

According to the criminal complaint document, the suspect had — for surveillance purposes — reportedly gone on Thursday to the area where he thought the minor was living. On Friday, Bernard thought he was arranging a meet with the minor, and instead was arrested.

Barnard was charged with two counts of the use of a communications systems to expose himself to a minor; one count of the use of a communications system to request a minor to expose his/herself; and three counts of the use of a communications system to request sex acts from a minor.

Later, he reportedly admitted in an interview to knowingly communicating with a person he believed to be 14 and sending naked photos of himself to her.

Bernard was remanded to Western Tidewater Regional Jail in Suffolk with no bond.

“The Isle of Wight County Sheriff’s Office will not just investigate these types of cases, but will aggressively investigate these cases and pursue those predators who prey on the most venerable segment of our society, our children,” said Potter.