Convicted sex offender unknowingly asked undercover officer for nude photos

JOHNSON COUNTY, Ind. — A convicted sex offender is accused of contacting what he believed to be a 15-year-old girl and asking her for nude videos.

But the “child” was, in fact, an undercover police officer.

Demitri Watts, 31, of Indianapolis is charged with one count of attempting to disseminate harmful matter to a minor, a Level 6 felony.

Court records reveal Watts is a sex offender who was previously convicted of sexual battery in 2017. He’s since been charged twice with failing to register as a sex offender.

According to court documents, Watts was caught in a sting operation conducted by Johnson County law enforcement in September 2024. A Franklin police officer was posing as a 15-year-old girl on the app “MegaPersonals.”

Though documents claim the undercover profile listed the decoy’s age as 24, investigators said the undercover officer told Watts “she” was a 15-year-old girl during text communication.

“I’m 15 yrs old… don’t judge ‘daddy issues’,” the message from the undercover officer to Watts said.

After learning the “girl” was 15, Watts continued to send sexually explicit text messages to the profile and discussed performing sex acts with the “child.” Watts also sent multiple nude photographs of himself to the “child”, according to police.

Communication continued between Watts and the decoy profile with Watts saying he wanted to drive to Franklin to pick the “girl” up. According to the messages, he also asked the “child” to Uber to him at one point.

A warrant was issued for Watts’ arrest on Jan. 30. He was taken into custody on March 1.

Watts could face up to two and a half years in prison on a Level 6 felony conviction.