Jay Reffner

Reffner's 2006 Ohio mugshot

**Jay Wendell Reffner** is a potential predator caught in the Greenville, Ohio edition of **To Catch a Predator**. He is most known for his screen name and his narcissistic attitude during his interviews with Chris Hansen and the police.

## Conversation with the Decoy

Before the sting operation, Jay Wendell Reffner was a 30-year-old man who was married and worked as a network systems manager at the University of Findlay since 1996. On March 25, 2006, Reffner initiated contact with a person he believed to be a 13-year-old girl, but who was actually a decoy from Perverted Justice named Lady Baltimore. Reffner lied about his identity and said his name was "Jim". Reffner wasted no time inquiring if the decoy was home alone and even offered to be her babysitter. Disturbingly, he asked about her preferences regarding sexual activities, suggesting that she might enjoy them more if she engaged in them frequently. As the decoy shared details about her past sexual relationships, Reffner suggested that he could come over and fulfill the role of her "protector." Following that, Reffner's conversation took an even more disturbing turn. He inquired about the decoy's virginity and expressed his willingness to guide her towards "the next step" in a sexual context. Furthermore, he probed whether she had ever used sexual toys and cautioned that engaging in intercourse might cause some discomfort. When the decoy indicated her willingness to have sex, Reffner assured her that he would proceed slowly and avoid forceful actions. He explicitly stated his reluctance to engage in anal sex, as it would cause intense pain due to the "deep" he could go. In addition, he asked if she had a preference for doggy-style intercourse and inquired whether she was using any form of birth control.

Afterwards, Reffner contacted another Perverted Justice profile, Xavier Von Erck, who was portraying a 15-year-old girl using the screen name "bushsucksgrrl". Initially, Erck acted disinterested and resorted to insulting Reffner, causing him to exit the chat. However, later that night, Reffner returned to Erck's decoy profile and initiated another conversation. During this subsequent chat, Reffner openly admitted to feeling a peculiar attraction towards the decoy and expressed a desire to taste her. He used inappropriate language like "tasty" to describe her and made it clear that he wanted to meet up. He explicitly mentioned his intention to ejaculate on her and asked if she was interested in engaging in sexual activity. When the decoy revealed her virginity, Reffner found it alluring and expressed that he was "honored to be considered the candidate for [her] first time". He proceeded to inquire about her experience with oral sex and even mentioned that he was willing to drive over two hours to reach her location.

## Interview with Chris Hansen

Instead of encountering a real teenage girl, Reffner was greeted by an adult decoy upon entering the house. They engaged in small talk before Reffner took a seat. The unexpected arrival of Chris Hansen caught Reffner off guard, prompting him to inquire about how he could help him. Reffner then admitted that he had come to meet a 15-year-old, before extending his hand for a handshake with Hansen. Asserting that he was not a pedophile "in any way, shape, or form," Reffner claimed to have never met an underage girl from online. However, he later acknowledged having condoms in his possession. When Hansen asked if he could present the condoms, Reffner complied and placed them on the table. Subsequently, he returned them to his pocket, stating that he had no intention of using them and just wanted to talk.

Reffner insisted that he would not harm the decoy, leading Hansen to sarcastically question if he planned to use the condoms for "balloon tricks." Reffner chuckled nervously and began sweating. During the conversation, Reffner admitted to being married and having a 15-year-old daughter, along with two step-sons from his wife's previous marriage. As Hansen read through the chatlog, Reffner continued to sweat and requested to remove his jacket. He then confessed that the chatlog was indeed his, claiming it was merely "playful chat" and that he had no intention of carrying out any actions. When Hansen revealed his identity, prompting the cameras to emerge, Reffner hastily grabbed his jacket and made a hasty exit. He attempted to flee to his car but was apprehended by the police and subsequently arrested.

## Police Interrogation

During the police questioning, Reffner exhibited a disrespectful attitude when asked about his interactions with the teenage girl. When one detective requested his phone number, Reffner retorted sharply, stating that he wouldn't provide it because he would be in jail. Another detective inquired if he knew the girl's age, to which Reffner responded arrogantly, claiming that they had already discussed that matter. The frustrated detective explained the need to ask again. Reffner initially claimed that the girl never disclosed her age to him and that he was unaware of it "pre-entry." However, he eventually admitted that upon entering the house, the decoy informed him that she was turning 16. When the detective pointed out that the decoy's profile indicated she was 15, Reffner dismissively remarked that it didn't matter since anyone could lie about their age online. Reffner persistently claimed that the decoy never disclosed her age and emphasized that her profile stated she was 15. He argued that the age displayed on online profiles held little significance as individuals could easily misrepresent themselves.

When the detective pointed out that her "chat id" indicated she was 15, Reffner boastfully mentioned that her "chat id" was actually "bushsucksgrrl." He adamantly denied making any sexual advances, emphasizing that their interactions were limited to conversations. When questioned about the contents of his car, Reffner confessed to possessing a single condom. He also admitted that his wife and daughter were currently on a camping trip, unaware of him being over two hours away. While he denied meeting any minors online, he acknowledged meeting a 32-year-old woman from an online platform for a lunch meeting. In response to inquiries about his decision to visit Darke County, Reffner vaguely attributed it to "random circumstances" and clarified that he did not intentionally choose to go there. He claimed that his sole intention was to engage in conversation with the girl. Reffner maintained an arrogant attitude, asserting that he had never been to Darke County. However, he eventually conceded that he did not inform anyone about his visit to the sting house. When asked about his occupation, Reffner described himself as overseeing internet operations, managing the network, and supervising a team of five individuals responsible for server operations.

## Aftermath

Following his arrest, Reffner faced a single charge of attempted unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, categorized as a fourth-degree felony. He promptly contacted his mother, who worked as a prosecutor, to inform her about his arrest. During his bail hearing, Reffner's mother represented him in court and argued that he should be released on his own recognizance, highlighting that he posed no flight risk. Darke County Judge Jonathan Hein ultimately set his bond at $5,000, which Reffner was able to pay, securing his release. Reffner's affiliation with the University of Findlay came to light through university spokesperson Rebecca Shell. Shell confirmed that Reffner was a member of the institution's information technology team, primarily responsible for maintaining the school's website. In light of the charges against him, Reffner was placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of his case.

In June 2006, Reffner took legal action by filing a motion in the Darke County Common Pleas Court seeking the dismissal of the single felony charge against him. Reffner, along with four other men apprehended in the sting operation, alleged a conflict of interest. They claimed that Dateline, the program behind **To Catch a Predator**, had paid Perverted Justice $100,000 to have its members pose as teenagers online to entrap potential predators. However, this defense strategy did not succeed. Subsequently, in October 2006, Reffner changed his plea to guilty for the felony charge. On November 27 of the same year, he received his sentencing. The court sentenced him to serve 30 days in jail, placed him under two years of community control, and mandated the completion of 40 hours of community service. Additionally, Reffner was required to register as a sexually oriented offender for 10 years and undergo sex-offender counseling. Reffner successfully completed his probation in 2008, and in 2016, he was removed from the sex offender registry. Remarkably, his marriage managed to survive the ordeal.

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 https://www.toledoblade.com/local/police-fire/2006/03/31/Internet-predator-sting-nets-3-arrests/stories/200603310049
2. ↑ https://ashe5k.livejournal.com/195421.html
3. ↑ https://www.toledoblade.com/local/2006/06/09/Internet-sting-defendant-seeks-dismissal-of-charge/stories/200606090030
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 https://www.toledoblade.com/local/2006/11/11/2-caught-in-sex-stings-on-Web-to-be-sentenced.html
5. ↑ https://orochiyamazaki.livejournal.com/68189.html
6. ↑ https://www.toledoblade.com/local/2006/11/28/Man-arrested-in-sex-sting-gets-30-days/stories/200611280088
7. ↑ https://dairystatedegenerates.blogspot.com/2020/11/to-catch-predator-update-greenville.html