Alleged Internet predator is fit to stand trial

A man accused of using the Internet to have sexually explicit conversations with local teen girls has been declared competent to stand trial and will appear for a preliminary hearing next month.

James D. Moran Jr. will appear in Bedford County General Sessions on July 31, at which time a judge will determine whether there is enough evidence to bind him over to a grand jury. Prosecutors were waiting on the results of a mental evaluation before moving forward with the case.

Moran is facing eight counts of aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor and five counts of sexual exploitation of a minor and is being held under $195,000 bond.

According to warrants filed in March by Deputy Todd Hammonds, of the Bedford County Sheriff's Department, Moran allegedly exposed himself or sent "sexually explicit material via the Internet to females who ages range from 13 years of age to 17 years of age," which constituted the eight counts of aggravated sexual exploitation.

The other five charges were filed because Moran allegedly "did have sexually explicit conversation with females via the Internet on MySpace Messenger," who were ages ranging from 13 to 17.

The difference between this case and those brought by Shelbyville investigators recently is that there were no law enforcement authorities posing as teen girls.

Hammonds told the T-G at the time that the sheriff's department had received information that Moran was allegedly soliciting teen girls via his computer. While taking an initial report from the complainants, Hammonds observed the conversations himself "that were very inappropriate," he said.

Moran's laptop computer was taken as evidence and was sent to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation for further analysis, Hammonds said.