A former police officer from Winchester, Virginia, recently found himself in a troubling legal situation reminiscent of a "To Catch a Predator" scenario.
Mark Samuel Baker, a 57-year-old resident of Gore, faced a federal jury trial in Montana and was convicted of attempting to engage in sex trafficking with a minor. His refusal to accept a plea deal means he now faces a mandatory minimum prison sentence of 10 years.
The case against Baker revolved around an incident that took place in July 2022.
Unbeknownst to him, he was communicating with an undercover law enforcement officer posing as a minor under the age of 16 on the internet. Prosecutors argued that Baker knowingly attempted to recruit, entice, patronize, and solicit a minor for a commercial sex act, and the evidence against him primarily stemmed from his own words and actions.
The sequence of events leading to Baker's arrest unfolded as follows:
On July 11, 2022, law enforcement posted an undercover ad on the internet, posing as an 18-year-old female escort. About six hours later, Baker responded to the ad using a phone number later traced back to him. Their initial conversation involved a discussion of donations.
The undercover officer then asked Baker if he was comfortable with her age, to which he replied, "Yes, as long as you are okay. I'm 49." The officer responded by stating that she was almost 16, and Baker expressed a desire to meet her in Billings, Montana, where he intended to take her to his hotel and pay $80 for sexual services.
Baker's actions escalated when he drove to Montana, demonstrating a clear intent to commit the crime.
Upon arriving at the designated location and confirming the details of his vehicle, law enforcement took him into custody on July 13, 2022, around 7:00 PM. They also contacted the phone number used for their communication, which led to a smartphone in Baker's possession lighting up with the undercover officer's number.
Following his arrest, Baker, a former police officer, claimed he had gone to the park out of curiosity, but law enforcement discovered incriminating evidence on his person, including $375 in cash, a hotel passkey, and four condoms.
After a two-day trial, the jury unanimously found Baker guilty of the charges.
Because he chose to go to trial and lost, he now faces a minimum of 10 years in prison, along with a possible $250,000 fine and supervised release ranging from five years to life.
U.S. Attorney for the District of Montana Jesse Laslovich summarized the case by emphasizing Baker's involvement in a sex trafficking scenario that exploits children. His office vowed to continue vigorously prosecuting such cases.
On September 19, the jury began deliberations in the morning and quickly reached a verdict by early afternoon.
Baker was subsequently remanded into the custody of U.S. Marshals to await sentencing.
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