FBI-Arranged 'Sex Date' With Minor Leads To Arrest In Southington

SOUTHINGTON, CT — A sex date between a 60-year-old man and a fictitious young girl arranged by federal investigators at a Southington motel led to charges levied by Southington police, a report indicates.

Robert Sellers is accused of trying to "buy the services" of a 12-year-old girl at the Motel 6, located at 625 Queen St. in Southington, according to a report. Sellers lives in Bristol, according to a report.

He was charged with criminal attempt at commercial sex abuse of minor, criminal attempt at second-degree sexual assault and criminal attempt at risk of injury to a minor, records show.

Sellers' initial bail was set at $250,000, but that was reduced to $150,000 in an initial court appearance, records show. He failed to post the bond and remained in custody Wednesday morning and is scheduled to be back before a judge on Feb. 19, records indicate.

In October 2020, the Federal Bureau of Investigation began an inquiry into Sellers, who had been linked to an "incest website" through social media accounts, according to a report. Over the course of the investigation, FBI agents "communicated" with Sellers between October 2020 through Feb. 4 of this year, using the online Kik and Wickr applications, in excess of 500 times, according to a report.

Sellers' believed he was talking to the father of the 12-year-old girl, a report indicates.

Sellers provided "advice" on how to "prostitute" the girl and offered the fictitious father advice on things like fees to charge for sex acts, according to a report.

Over the course of the exchanges, Sellers told an FBI undercover agent that he was interested in meeting the girl, according tp a report. He said he was willing to rent a motel room and offered to pay $200 for "sexual acts" with the "fictitious minor," according to a report.

The FBI then told Southington Police that, on Feb. 4, Sellers would be renting a room at the Motel 6 in town for what he thought would be a sexual encounter with the girl, according to a report.

FBI agents and Southington police then set up surveillance at the motel and observed Sellers meet the undercover FBI agent posing as the girl's farther and pay the agreed upon amount, according to a report.

Sellers vehicle was then approached by Southington police and FBI agents in the motel parking and he was taken into custody by local authorities, according to a report.

He was arraigned in court the following day, police said.

The FBI said it is still investigating the case.