Docs: Cloverdale man arrested after sexually messaging decoy 11-year-old girl

CLOVERDALE, Ind. — A Cloverdale man was arrested after he was allegedly caught messaging with who he thought was an 11-year-old girl over text and social media about a potential sexual situation.

According to court documents recently filed in Putnam County, 54-year-old Paul Romine was charged with one count of Child Solicitation, a Level 4 Felony.

At around 12:36 p.m. on April 30, officers with the Cloverdale Police Department were called to a Cloverdale home by an organization called Bikers Against Predators. Court documents state that the organization was reportedly in communication with a man later identified as Romine, posing as an 11-year-old girl.

A representative from the organization reportedly told police at the scene that Romine spoke with the decoy girl about taking her virginity via messages through text and social media. The messages also allegedly included a naked photo of Romine, something he later claimed was a photo he got from the internet.

At the scene, officers reportedly looked at the cell phone that the organization was using to communicate with Romine. Over the span of multiple days, officials allege that Romine was speaking with the decoy girl, who said multiple times that she was 11.

Within the conversation, the decoy girl reportedly told Romine that she was a virgin. After Romine requested the address of the decoy girl, he asked her to download Zangi to continue the conversation, a private messaging application.

During the conversations on this platform, the sexual nature of the conversations continued. Eventually, the decoy girl replied that they would have to meet at Rodgers Park in Goshen. This platform is where Romine reportedly sent the nude photo to the decoy girl.

On Friday, officers with the Cloverdale Police Department conducted a search of Romine’s home, where two cell phones were confiscated. Romine’s initial hearing occurred Monday afternoon in Putnam County, according to court documents.