Newtown Man Accused Of Trying To Entice, Meet 11-Year-Old Girl: Warrant

NEWTOWN, CT — A Newtown man is facing several felony charges after police say he communicated online with someone he believed was an 11-year-old girl and attempted to meet the child in person, according to court documents.

Paul W. Melnick, 48, of Newtown, was charged Feb. 27 with enticing a minor by computer, misrepresenting age to entice a minor and harmful communication with a minor, according to the arrest warrant affidavit.

Police said Melnick began communicating online in January with an account posing as an 11-year-old girl named "Emiry." During the conversations, the account told him her age and the exchanges later became sexual in nature, according to the affidavit.

Investigators said the account was operated by individuals affiliated with a group called Predator Poachers Long Island, which works to identify suspected online child predators and report them to law enforcement.

According to the warrant, Melnick asked the account to send sexually explicit images and sent explicit messages during the conversations.

Police said Melnick later drove to South Main Street in Newtown on Feb. 26, where he believed he would meet the child.

Melnick was arrested and held on $75,000 bond, according to court documents.

The paperwork lists conditions including no contact with minors under age 17, GPS monitoring and medical and mental health monitoring.

The case remains pending in Danbury Superior Court.