Man Arranged To Meet Child For Sex, Arrested Instead: Sheriff

MACOMB COUNTY, MI — Believing he was "sexting" with an underaged girl, a Belleville man sent detailed, graphic messages about his sexual fantasies, the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office said Wednesday. Ross Earl Kouba, 41, was charged with multiple felonies, including three counts of child sexually abusive activity, each a 20-year felony.

Detectives with the sheriff’s office M.A.C.E. (Macomb Area Computer Enforcement) Team received a tip on Feb. 16 that a user on a popular social media platform had tried to solicit sex from an underage person, according to a news release.

A detective with the computer-crimes team posed as an underage person and began to chat with Kouba, originally through social media, but later through text messages, according to the news release.

They agreed to meet in Feb. 18 to engage in sexual activity, but sheriff’s deputies were waiting at the agreed upon location when Kouba arrived, police said.

In addition to the three counts of child sexually abusive activity, Kouba is also charged with two counts of computers – communicating with another to commit a crime, and one count of children – contributing to delinquency.

He was video-arraigned on Tuesday in Clinton Township 41B District Court, where bond was set at $150,000 cash or surety. He is due back in court at 8:3 0 a.m. on March 6. He remained in the Macomb County Jail Wednesday, the sheriff’s office said.

Photo via Macomb County Sheriff’s Office