Elkhart man arrested for soliciting sex from undercover police posing as minor
Posted: Jan 28, 2015 12:39 AM EST | Updated: Jan 28, 2015 12:42 AM EST
Police say a former Elkhart bar owner fondled a 15-year-old he met on a cell phone app. Days later police conducted an undercover sting and say he met up with an r detective.
John Klawiter, 46, was arrested for one count of sexual misconduct and two counts of child solicitation.
On January 9, 2015 while he was still part owner of RJ's Pub in Elkhart, police say he brought a 15-year-old boy to the bar and molested him. This initiated police's sting operation.
Regulars at RJ's Pub are surprised this was the man that served their drinks.
“John always struck me as a very nice person, very fair. He seems to help people a lot and I wouldn't think he ever done something like this,” says Bill Block a patron at RJ's Pub.
Block knew Klawiter and still can't believe he faces allegations of soliciting sex from a minor.
Block says, “I was shocked!”
Wayne Bennett, another regular took the news a little more skeptically.
“Nobody really knows what anybody does. Does anyone even really know their neighbors anymore?” asks Bennett.
Police say Klawiter met the 15-year-old boy on a cell phone app just weeks ago, fondled and molested him on their way to RJ's Pub.
The boy told police he escaped from Klawiter's car when the two stopped at a gas station and the boy called police. Surveillance video at the gas station identified Klawiter's car.
Weeks later the boy identified him in a line up and police set up a sting to trap Klawiter in the act using the same cell phone app with a fake profile.
Although this is surprising news to some they still feel like everyone deserves a fair shot in court.
“So no I didn't suspect it but like I said it might not be real it might not be true so we will just have to see how it turns out,” says Bennett.
The Elkhart County Prosecutor's Office say court dates will be available at a later time. As of January 27 Klawiter is no longer listed as an inmate at Elkhart County Jail.
John Klawiter, 46, was arrested for one count of sexual misconduct and two counts of child solicitation.
On January 9, 2015 while he was still part owner of RJ's Pub in Elkhart, police say he brought a 15-year-old boy to the bar and molested him. This initiated police's sting operation.
Regulars at RJ's Pub are surprised this was the man that served their drinks.
“John always struck me as a very nice person, very fair. He seems to help people a lot and I wouldn't think he ever done something like this,” says Bill Block a patron at RJ's Pub.
Block knew Klawiter and still can't believe he faces allegations of soliciting sex from a minor.
Block says, “I was shocked!”
Wayne Bennett, another regular took the news a little more skeptically.
“Nobody really knows what anybody does. Does anyone even really know their neighbors anymore?” asks Bennett.
Police say Klawiter met the 15-year-old boy on a cell phone app just weeks ago, fondled and molested him on their way to RJ's Pub.
The boy told police he escaped from Klawiter's car when the two stopped at a gas station and the boy called police. Surveillance video at the gas station identified Klawiter's car.
Weeks later the boy identified him in a line up and police set up a sting to trap Klawiter in the act using the same cell phone app with a fake profile.
Although this is surprising news to some they still feel like everyone deserves a fair shot in court.
“So no I didn't suspect it but like I said it might not be real it might not be true so we will just have to see how it turns out,” says Bennett.
The Elkhart County Prosecutor's Office say court dates will be available at a later time. As of January 27 Klawiter is no longer listed as an inmate at Elkhart County Jail.
