Jay Reffner

Instead of encountering a real teenage girl, Reffner was greeted by an adult decoy upon entering the house. They engaged in small talk about how Reffner struggled to find the house before he took a seat. The unexpected arrival of Chris Hansen caught Reffner off guard, prompting him to inquire about how he could help him. Reffner then admitted that he had come to meet a fifteen-year-old, before extending his hand for a handshake with Hansen. Asserting that he was not a pedophile "in any way, shape, or form," Reffner claimed to have never met an underage girl from online. He later acknowledged having condoms in his possession. When Hansen asked if he could present the condoms, Reffner complied and placed them on the table. Subsequently, he returned them to his pocket, stating that he had no intention of using them and just wanted to talk.

Reffner insisted that he would not harm the decoy, leading Hansen to sarcastically question if he planned to use the condoms for "balloon tricks." Reffner chuckled nervously and began sweating. During the conversation, Reffner admitted to being married and having a young daughter, along with two step-sons from his wife's previous marriage. When Hansen revealed his identity, prompting the cameras to emerge, Reffner grabbed his jacket and made a hasty exit. He attempted to flee to his car but was apprehended by the police and subsequently arrested.

During the police questioning, Reffner exhibited a disrespectful attitude when asked about his interactions with the teenage girl. Another detective inquired if he knew the girl's age, to which Reffner responded arrogantly, claiming that they had already discussed that matter. The frustrated detective explained the need to ask again. Reffner initially claimed that the girl never disclosed her age to him and that he was unaware of it "pre-entry." However, he eventually admitted that upon entering the house, the decoy informed him that she was turning 16. When the detective pointed out that the decoy's profile indicated she was 15, Reffner dismissively remarked that it didn't matter since anyone could lie about their age online. Reffner persistently claimed that the decoy never disclosed her age and emphasized that her profile stated she was 15. He argued that the age displayed on online profiles held little significance as individuals could easily misrepresent themselves.

When questioned about the contents of his car, Reffner confessed to possessing a single condom. He also admitted that his wife and daughter were currently on a camping trip, unaware of him being over two hours away. While he denied meeting any minors online, he acknowledged meeting a thirty-two-year-old woman from an online platform for a lunch meeting. In response to inquiries about his decision to visit Darke County, Reffner vaguely attributed it to "random circumstances" and clarified that he did not intentionally choose to go there. He claimed that his sole intention was to engage in conversation with the girl. Reffner maintained an arrogant attitude, asserting that he had never been to Darke County. However, he eventually conceded that he did not inform anyone about his visit to the sting house. When asked about his occupation, Reffner described himself as overseeing internet operations, managing the network, and supervising a team of five individuals responsible for server operations.

Following his arrest, Reffner faced a single charge of attempted unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, categorized as a fourth-degree felony. Darke County Judge Jonathan Hein ultimately set his bond at $2500, which Reffner was able to pay, securing his release. Reffner's affiliation with the University of Findlay came to light through university spokesperson Rebecca Shell. Shell confirmed that Reffner was a member of the institution's information technology team, primarily responsible for maintaining the school's website. In light of the charges against him, Reffner was placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of his case.

In June 2006, Reffner took legal action by filing a motion in the Darke County Common Pleas Court seeking the dismissal of the single felony charge against him. Reffner, along with four other men apprehended in the sting operation, alleged a conflict of interest. They claimed that Dateline, the program behind To Catch a Predator , had paid Perverted Justice $100,000 to have its members pose as teenagers online to entrap potential predators. However, this defense strategy did not succeed. Subsequently, in October 2006, Reffner changed his plea to guilty for the felony charge. On November 27 of the same year, he received his sentencing. The court sentenced him to serve 30 days in jail, placed him under two years of community control, and mandated the completion of 40 hours of community service. Additionally, Reffner was required to register as a sexually oriented offender for 10 years and undergo sex-offender counseling. Reffner successfully completed his probation in 2008, and in 2016, he was removed from the sex offender registry. Remarkably, his marriage managed to at least temporarily survive the ordeal.

On May 9th, 2024, The Skip Tracer revealed that Reffner had been engaged to a woman named Katie. According to the page that included various pictures of them on vacation together and a wish list for wedding presents (including a relatively cheap pizza cutter for $18), they were due to be married on November 2nd, 2024. The photo gallery suggested that the two had been together for quite a while, confirming that he is now divorced from the woman he was married to at the time of the sting.