Sexual exploitation suspect bound over to Grand Jury

A legal assistant for TennCare who allegedly admitted to sexually related chats on a state-owned computer waived his right to a preliminary hearing Tuesday and will be bound over to the Bedford County grand jury.

Frank E. Crawford, 37, of Springfield, was arrested Nov. 4 and charged with two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor and two counts of solicitation of a minor.

However, the two solicitation charges will be dropped, according to court officials. Crawford's case will be heard by the jury panel on Feb. 23.

Crawford was the latest person snagged in an undercover operation conducted in a Tennessee regional chat room by Detective Charles Merlo of the Shelbyville Police Department, who poses as a 13-year-old girl to lure suspected Internet predators.

Merlo noted in his report that, in the four chats with Crawford, the Springfield man allegedly solicited him for sex twice and used a webcam to display "a sexually explicit act" two times as well.

Warrants were issued for Crawford on the four counts and he was picked up by Springfield authorities. Merlo stated in his report that Crawford admitted committing the acts he was charged with. His personal computer was also seized and Crawford signed a consent for it to be searched, the report read.

"During the interview, Crawford stated he was a legal assistant for TennCare, and that he chatted with the undercover agent at times on his state computer, while at work," the report read.

Merlo said last year that his interest in pursuing Internet child predators was spurred by the Perverted Justice web site, pervertedjustice.com, which specializes in helping law enforcement agencies fight cyber-molesters. The web site provides "Dateline NBC" with resources for its occasional "To Catch A Predator" segments.

Crawford is free on $100,000 bond.