Nathan Downhour

Downhour's 2007 Florida sex offender mugshot

> "Fantasies dreamed up online are in your mind...things you might not be willing to do when it comes down to it."
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> - Nathan being philosophical about statutory rape.
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**Nathan Eli Downhour** is a potential predator involved in the Greenville, Ohio investigation of **To Catch a Predator**. He is known for his calm demeanor throughout his confrontation and subsequent interrogation that had some in the TCaP fandom equate to that of a serial killer.

## Biography

Nathan Eli Downhour, a 23-year-old student attending an evangelical school in Indiana, initiated contact with a Perverted Justice decoy posing as a 13-year-old girl named "Katie". In their initial conversation, Downhour openly shared details about himself, disclosing his studies in biology and employment at Busch Gardens, a zoo. The chat started off as playful, with both talking about the things they individually planned to do on Spring Break and their favorite animals. However, Downhour's grooming behavior began as he complimented the decoy's voice, describing it as incredibly soft and alluring. As their interaction unfolded, Downhour and the decoy discussed the possibility of meeting in person. Downhour suggested activities such as watching movies and "messin' around". When the topic of sexual activity arose and the decoy asked about the prospect of sex, Downhour expressed his willingness, provided she was agreeable. His responses were filled with excitement, claiming that she made his heart race and his blood surge. However, he cautioned the decoy about the potential consequences, urging her to keep their encounters secret to avoid trouble for both of them. As their conversation progressed, Downhour inquired about the decoy's sexual experiences, specifically questioning whether she had engaged in sexual intercourse or performed oral sex. Revealing his own desires, he expressed an interest in performing oral sex on her and even asked about the age at which she had first engaged in sexual intercourse. Downhour described in explicit terms his intentions, stating that he would fondle the decoy's breasts until she expressed pleasure through moaning, while delicately flicking them with his tongue. He elaborated that his hands would gradually move down her body until reaching her jeans. At this point, he envisioned undressing her, removing both her jeans and underwear, and revealing her "beautiful nude body". He disturbingly detailed a scenario where she would be coerced into sitting with her legs spread apart, while he would kneel between her legs and approach her intimate area. He went on to mention how the decoy would experience goosebumps due to his warm breath caressing her skin.

According to Downhour, he described a passionate encounter with her. He mentioned a desire to engage in intense physical intimacy, igniting sensations that would traverse her body like fire. He expressed a wish to tenderly explore and caress the intimate area, eliciting a pleasurable response. His intention was to skillfully stimulate and tease her until her desire intensified, resulting in a natural flow of excitement. He spoke of gradually introducing his finger into her, describing the sensations of tightness and warmth, accompanied by pleasurable sounds and movements. He envisioned a gradual increase in rhythm and intensity, leading to shared gratification and the eventual climax of the experience. Downhour anticipated a brief moment of rest before eagerly continuing their passionate encounter. He expressed that as he initiated the intimate act, he would be immediately overwhelmed by the intense sensations of her warmth and tightness. Downhour described the experience as pure ecstasy once he was completely connected with her. Downhour said as he would "enter her", she would moan, signalling her pleasure. He mentioned that he would employ a gentle and gradual rhythm, and stimulate her, gradually increasing the tempo. He imagined that the decoy's moans transformed into a continuous and melodious sound, occasionally punctuated by the need to catch her breath. Downhour noted that, having already climaxed, the decoy would reach her own climax more swiftly. Downhour said that while he was lost in the pleasure of her intimate embrace, he found would find himself on the verge of orgasm. Eventually, he said that he wanted to reach the peak of pleasure together, exclaiming in unison. He said when they collapsed into each other, they would embrace their perspiring bodies tightly. Afterwards, they would replenish their strength while revelling in their intimate connection. Subsequently, Downhour would want the decoy to showcase her expertise in oral pleasure, leaving him astounded.

## Confrontation with Chris Hansen

When Downhour arrived at the designated location, expecting to meet a child, he was instead greeted by an adult decoy who amusingly mentioned accidentally injuring her toe and tending to it with a bandage. In an attempt to follow the decoy's voice, Downhour's progress was halted by Chris Hansen. Downhour acknowledged that he had come to meet someone and admitted that the individual he had intended to see was only 13 years old. While acknowledging the impropriety of the situation due to the girl's age, Downhour claimed that upon arriving, he had a change of heart and resolved not to engage in any inappropriate activities with a minor. As Hansen meticulously reviewed the chatlogs, Downhour explained that the nature of instant messaging allowed people to communicate differently, devoid of the personal confrontation that might bring about the discomfort of expressing such thoughts face-to-face.

Downhour provided an explanation regarding certain fantasies he had conceived, either online or within his own imagination, clarifying that he had no intention of willingly acting upon them. While acknowledging the inherent wrongness of these thoughts, he claimed to be unaware of the legal framework concerning sexual relations with underage children. However, when Hansen informed him that such activities were illegal, Downhour asserted that nothing inappropriate had occurred up to that point. Hansen then clarified that engaging in sexually explicit conversations with a minor was also against the law, irrespective of any physical encounters. Downhour proceeded to allege his lack of knowledge regarding the illegality of his actions, insisting that it had not crossed his mind. This revelation left Hansen stunned, prompting him to highlight the unsettling fact that Downhour, a grown man, had willingly visited a residence where he thought a child was home alone. Hansen eventually disclosed his true identity, leading to the unveiling of the concealed cameras. Surprisingly, Downhour remained calm and emotionless throughout the revelation and even expressed gratitude towards Hansen when informed that he was free to leave. However, as Downhour exited the premises, law enforcement swiftly intervened, proceeding to arrest him and take him into custody.

## Police interview

During the police interrogation, Downhour openly acknowledged that he had gone to the sting house, knowing he was meeting someone he believed to be a 13-year-old girl. He admitted that he had formed this belief based on the pictures he had seen. However, upon reaching the doorstep of the house, he claimed to have immediately concluded that he would not engage in any sexual activity with an underage girl. He stated that even during his drive to the location, he had begun to realize the inherent risks and deemed it a bad idea.
Downhour maintained that his intention was to communicate to the girl that they could hang out without involving any sexual activity. He admitted that while he had been conversing with the decoy, thoughts of engaging in sexual acts had crossed his mind. However, he emphasized that the weight of the potential consequences and the realization of the grave implications had started to gnaw at him. He began contemplating the repercussions that would follow if he were to be caught. The detective challenged Downhour's deceptive statements and highlighted his true intentions of engaging in sexual acts with a child. Faced with this confrontation, Downhour finally succumbed to the pressure and confessed. He admitted that he had an unopened box of condoms in his car and planned to provide the girl with fantasy novels.

Nevertheless, he asserted that the condoms were meant for another time and insisted that he had never used them. Downhour said it was his first time meeting an underage girl online. He then admitted that he was still a virgin and had never had a girlfriend. The detectives concluded that he was desperate to have sex, and went to the sting house to do it with a child. Downhour then admitted that it was his original plan. Downhour claimed that his encounter at the sting house was his first experience meeting an underage girl through online communication. He further admitted that he had never been in a romantic relationship and remained a virgin. These facts led the detectives to speculate that Downhour's motivations stemmed from a sense of desperation to engage in sexual activity, ultimately leading him to visit the sting house with the intention of pursuing such acts with a child. Confronted with the detectives' probing questions, Downhour eventually confessed that his original plan had indeed been to engage in sexual activity with a minor, affirming the investigators' conclusions. Upon being informed of the charges against him, Downhour inquired about the potential impact on his record, expressing concern about the consequences. The detectives, in response to his question, confirmed that the charges would indeed go on his record

## Aftermath

After being arrested, Downhour faced one felony count of attempted unlawful sexual conduct with a minor. Subsequently, he was found guilty of the offense and received his sentencing on January 11, 2007. Downhour was sentenced to a period of thirty-five days in jail, which accounted for the time he had already served. Additionally, he was placed under two years of probation and mandated to register as a sexually oriented offender. As part of the legal consequences, Downhour was also required to bear the costs of prosecution, amounting to $1477.34, and a sexual evaluation fee of $500. Moreover, he was strictly prohibited from accessing any form of pornography.

To further enforce the gravity of his actions, Downhour had to surrender his vehicle, which had been used during the commission of the crime. During his probationary period, it was explicitly specified that any contact, whether online or offline, initiated by Downhour with a minor would result in a nine-month jail sentence. In the years following his release from jail, Downhour was captured in the background of a YouTube video, where he could be seen working at a plastic sorting plant, signifying his reintegration into society post-incarceration. He also works at his parents' winery. Downhour splits time between living in Indiana and Florida and is also on Florida's Sex Offender Registry. Unlike most of the men who had to register for ten years, Nathan's registry on the Florida RSO list means he has to register for life, as the laws in Florida are stricter than in Ohio.

## References

1. ↑ https://www.daytondailynews.com/news/arrested-charged-online-sex-sting/7ktjiz6wznCmHc5LYqxDMJ/
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 https://offender.fdle.state.fl.us/offender/sops/flyer.jsf?personId=57837
3. ↑ https://www.daytondailynews.com/news/men-get-jail-time-darke-internet-sex-sting/kAF29MOTfsLWwQLNQyM7iN/
4. ↑ http://www.perverted-justice.com/?con=greeneyed121
5. ↑ https://dairystatedegenerates.blogspot.com/2020/11/to-catch-predator-update-greenville.html