A New Boston man was arrested Saturday after the Scioto County Sheriff’s Department said he was attempting to meet underage children.

According to a news release from Sheriff David Thoroughman, his office was contacted about an incident that occurred at the New Boston Walmart on Saturday.

Thoroughman stated that his office received an email from a non-law enforcement group. The email was then forwarded to Detective Sergeant Jodi Conkel and the Scioto County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims’ Unit.

The sheriff’s office said investigation revealed that Randolph Victor Hockenheimer, 54, was talking to what he believed to be underage children. The conversation was sexual in nature, and inappropriate pictures were being sent.

Thoroughman said Hockenheimer was attempting to meet up with the underage children at Walmart, as they had discussed online. While Hockenheimer was at Walmart, he was confronted by this group, at which point he walked away from the area.

Thoroughman stated that detectives responded to Hockenheimer‘s house, located in New Boston. Detectives seized several electronic items and obtained a search warrant for these items.

Hockenheimer was arrested as a result of this investigation. He has been charged with two counts of attempted importuning, a fourth degree felony, and one count of disseminating matter harmful to a juvenile, a fourth degree felony.

Hockenheimer was taken to Scioto County Jail on a $15,000 bond and was set to appear in Portsmouth Municipal Court today.

Thoroughman stated that this is still an ongoing investigation that could result in more charges being presented to the Scioto County Grand Jury on a later date. Anyone with any information is asked to contact Conkel at 740-351-1091