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FBI arrests Pittsburgh man at Station Square in online child sex sting

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FBI arrests Pittsburgh man at Station Square in online child sex sting

A worker at a Station Square restaurant was arrested Wednesday on charges of arranging to meet a 13-year-old girl for sex who turned out to be an undercover FBI agent.

Thomas Hunt, 30, who lives on the South Side and works at Joe's Crab Shack, was taken into custody after arriving at Station Square for the tryst near his workplace, according to an affidavit unsealed Thursday in federal court.

Agents said Mr. Hunt had been conversing online since September with someone he thought was a 13-year-old girl who lived Downtown.

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Mr. Hunt admitted in an FBI interview after the arrest that he had been communicating with the undercover agent on social media and by text and knew the purported girl was 13, Agent Samantha Shelnick said in the affidavit.

He also said that he was the only person using his phone to speak to the undercover agent and admitted that he made sexually explicit comments in various chats, as well as asking to see a picture of the girl's genitals.

An undercover agent created a profile of the girl, purportedly from Pittsburgh, on social media in early September. A few days later, Mr. Hunt contacted the agent by private messenger and the two began a conversation. Over the next few weeks, the conversation continued and eventually, Mr. Hunt began making sexual comments.

The girl said she lived Downtown and Mr. Hunt said he worked at Joe's Crab Shack in Station Square, so they could meet behind the restaurant, according to the affidavit. He suggested they smoke pot and then walk to her residence for sex because she said her father was working out of town.

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On Monday, Mr. Hunt texted, "meet behind Joe's and we go to your dad's?"

He also said he was called in to work early that day. Agents set up surveillance around Joe's and saw him sitting on a bench smoking and using his phone. Immediately before the agents spotted him, he had been texting the undercover agent about having to go in early to work.

On Tuesday, he texted again and said he was sexually excited. The agent replied "Haha im n class rt now" and "Can u wait."

He then asked her to send a picture of her vagina, according to the affidavit. The undercover agent said she was in class and could not do that, but he continued to pressure her, according to the affidavit.

"Come on girl," he texted, "Go to the bathroom and get me a pic."

In the middle of the night on Wednesday, Mr. Hunt texted her again saying he couldn't sleep because he was too excited. Later that morning, they arranged for her to walk to Station Square to meet. Later that afternoon the undercover agent said she was headed across the Smithfield Street Bridge toward Station Square.

Mr. Hunt was off work that day but went to Station Square and was there waiting for her.

Agents were waiting, too, and arrested him.

Mr. Hunt is in U.S. custody pending an initial appearance hearing Monday in U.S. District Court.

First Published: October 14, 2021, 5:28 p.m.
Updated: October 14, 2021, 8:23 p.m.

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