Mansfield man arrested for alleged crimes involving juveniles in Scioto County
Scioto County Sheriff David Thoroughman announced Wednesday that his office was contacted Monday, May 29 by the Portsmouth Police Department stating that they had received a call from a concerned citizen. The concerned citizen advised the Portsmouth Police that they had allegedly observed several juveniles getting into a vehicle with two adult males and that it looked suspicious.
A description of the vehicle, along with the tag number, was given out to the patrol officers.
At 2:48 a.m., Patrolman Morgan and Adkins made a traffic stop on the vehicle on Gallia Street in Portsmouth. This resulted in the Sheriff’s Office being contacted to begin a Special Victims Investigation (S.V.U.).
Sheriff Thoroughman stated that the Portsmouth Police Department, who are part of the Prosecutor’s Special Victims Unit along with the Scioto County Sheriff’s Office, contacted Detective Sergeant Jodi Conkel.
Sgt. Conkel discovered that the alleged victim, a 13-year-old female from Lucasville, was picked up after having a conversation on social media with one of the adult males. The group then drove to Portsmouth and picked up two more juvenile girls.
Evidence was collected, which included the alleged messages between the suspect and victim as well as the alleged exchange of inappropriate photos being sent to the victim.
The investigation revealed that suspect had allegedly driven from Mansfield to pick up the victim, along with two other juvenile girls, to have sexual conduct with one or all of the juveniles.
Arrested was Robert Lamont Tubbs Jr., 20, of Mansfield. Tubbs has been charged attempted unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, a felony of the fourth degree; disseminating matter harmful to a juvenile, a felony of the fourth degree; importuning, a felony of the third degree; and pandering obscenity involving a minor, a felony of the fifth degree. Tubbs is being held in the Scioto County Jail on a $25,500 bond.
Sheriff Thoroughman stated that this investigation showcases the cooperative relationship of all law enforcement within Scioto County and the importance of citizens to call law enforcement when they observe suspicious activity.
Sheriff Thoroughman stated that this is still an ongoing investigation that will result in more charges being presented to a Scioto County grand jury on a later date.
Anyone with information should contact Detective Sergeant Jodi Conkel at 740-351-1091.