Man accused of child solicitation with person he believed was 14

ST. JOSEPH COUNTY, Ind. - A man was arrested for after he allegedly tried to solicit a person he believed was 14 years old, according to the probable cause affidavit.

Billy Masters, 48, was arrested on one count of child solicitation.

On August 31, officers with the St. Joseph County Police Department were notified of a report that Masters allegedly tried to solicit a person he thought was 14 years old to engage in sexual conduct.

When officers arrived at Masters' residence, they spoke with a woman associated with the group Bikers vs. Predators.

The woman told police she had been speaking with Masters over social media since April of 2022 and portrayed herself as a 14-year-old girl to Masters, reports said.

Eventually, the conversations between the "14-year-old" and Masters turned sexual, according to reports.

The woman showed police images of that conversation.

Masters told police he spoke with the woman online, police said.

The woman told him she was only 14 years old but he "forgot," Masters said.

Masters allegedly admitted to asking her to engage in sex.

Later, Masters said that when the woman told him she was only 14, he stopped talking to her, reports said.

However, he said he was "lonely" and began talking to her again, according to reports.

He said he should not have talked about having sex with the 14-year-old, reports said.

Masters was released from the St. Joseph County Jail on Friday on a $1,000 bond.

He is due in court on September 20.