Nathan Downhour

When Downhour arrived at the designated location, expecting to meet a child, he was instead greeted by an adult decoy who amusingly mentioned accidentally injuring her toe and tending to it with a bandage. In an attempt to follow the decoy's voice, Downhour's progress was halted by Chris Hansen . Downhour acknowledged that he had come to meet someone and admitted that the individual he had intended to see was only thirteen-years-old. While acknowledging the impropriety of the situation due to the girl's age, Downhour claimed that upon arriving, he had a change of heart and resolved not to engage in any inappropriate activities with a minor.

Downhour provided an explanation regarding certain fantasies he had conceived, either online or within his own imagination, clarifying that he had no intention of willingly acting upon them. While acknowledging the inherent wrongness of these thoughts, he claimed to be unaware of the legal framework concerning sexual relations with underage children. However, when Hansen informed him that such activities were illegal, Downhour asserted that nothing inappropriate had occurred up to that point. Hansen then clarified that engaging in sexually explicit conversations with a minor was also against the law, irrespective of any physical encounters. Downhour proceeded to allege his lack of knowledge regarding the illegality of his actions, insisting that it had not crossed his mind. This revelation left Hansen stunned, prompting him to highlight the unsettling fact that Downhour, a grown man, had willingly visited a residence where he thought a child was home alone. Hansen eventually disclosed his true identity, leading to the unveiling of the concealed cameras. Surprisingly, Downhour remained calm and emotionless throughout the revelation and even expressed gratitude towards Hansen when informed that he was free to leave. However, as Downhour exited the premises, law enforcement swiftly intervened, proceeding to arrest him and take him into custody.

During the police interrogation, Downhour openly acknowledged that he had gone to the sting house, knowing he was meeting someone he believed to be a 13-year-old girl. He admitted that he had formed this belief based on the pictures he had seen. However, upon reaching the doorstep of the house, he claimed to have immediately concluded that he would not engage in any sexual activity with an underage girl. He stated that even during his drive to the location, he had begun to realize the inherent risks and deemed it a bad idea.

Downhour maintained that his intention was to communicate to the girl that they could hang out without involving any sexual activity. He admitted that while he had been conversing with the decoy, thoughts of engaging in sexual acts had crossed his mind. However, he emphasized that the weight of the potential consequences and the realization of the grave implications had started to gnaw at him. He began contemplating the repercussions that would follow if he were to be caught. The detective challenged Downhour's deceptive statements and highlighted his true intentions of engaging in sexual acts with a child. Faced with this confrontation, Downhour finally succumbed to the pressure and confessed. He admitted that he had an unopened box of condoms in his car and planned to provide the girl with fantasy novels.

Nevertheless, he asserted that the condoms were meant for another time and insisted that he had never used them. Downhour said it was his first time meeting an underage girl online. He then admitted that he was still a virgin and had never had a girlfriend. The detectives concluded that he was desperate to have sex, and went to the sting house to do it with a child. Downhour then admitted that it was his original plan. Downhour claimed that his encounter at the sting house was his first experience meeting an underage girl through online communication. He further admitted that he had never been in a romantic relationship and remained a virgin. Confronted with the detectives' probing questions, Downhour eventually confessed that his original plan had indeed been to engage in sexual activity with a minor, affirming the investigators' conclusions. Upon being informed of the charges against him, Downhour inquired about the potential impact on his record, expressing concern about the consequences. The detectives, in response to his question, confirmed that the charges would indeed go on his record

After being arrested, Downhour faced one felony count of attempted unlawful sexual conduct with a minor. Subsequently, he was found guilty of the offense and received his sentencing on January 11, 2007. Downhour was sentenced to a period of thirty-five days in jail, which accounted for the time he had already served. Additionally, he was placed under two years of probation and mandated to register as a sexually oriented offender for a minimum period of ten years. As part of the legal consequences, Downhour was also required to bear the costs of prosecution, amounting to $1,477.34, and a sexual evaluation fee of $500. Moreover, he was strictly prohibited from accessing any form of pornography.

To further enforce the gravity of his actions, Downhour had to surrender his vehicle, which had been used during the commission of the crime. During his probationary period, it was explicitly specified that any contact, whether online or offline, initiated by Downhour with a minor would result in a nine-month jail sentence. In the years following his release from jail, Downhour was captured in the background of a YouTube video, where he could be seen working at a plastic sorting plant, signifying his reintegration into society post-incarceration. However, he was dismissed from this position allegedly following harassment claims from a female colleague.