CENTERVILLE – Two men were arrested by authorities in Centerville following online sting operations targeting child predators.

62-year-old Todd Richard Bratz of Centerville and 54-year-old Brian Alan Leager of Moulton both face felony charges as a result of their alleged conversations with authorities pretending to be underaged girls online.

According to the Centerville Police Department, investigations were conducted using an undercover officer targeting predators online on several public and dark web applications. The undercover officer was trained specifically to handle these types of cases, including information gathering, criminal prosecution, evidence collection, and managing suspects. 

The undercover officer portrayed a 15-year-old girl and had created multiple profiles on several social media applications, but could not initiate communication with any target, suggest sexual activity, or suggest meetings. Police say that the individuals who were arrested in these cases suggested sexual activity under their own accord and attempted to arrange meetings with the undercover officer.

Bratz was arrested on December 22 at around 12:59am following a two-day investigation in which Bratz initiated a conversation with the undercover officer and arranged to meet at a predetermined location to perform a sex act.

Leager was arrested on December 29 at approximately 8:04pm. The investigation into Leager occurred over a 12-day period in which he had conversations on social media with the undercover officer and arranged to meet at a predetermined location to perform a sex act.

Both men face felony charges of Enticing a Minor (class D felony) and Grooming (class D felony).