Estranged Wife Lures Man To Sex Sting

PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. -- An arrangement for a man to meet who he thought were two teenagers for sex started with an accidental cell phone text message, according to Vermont State Police.

Police said Jesse Read's 23-year-old estranged wife and her friend were behind the sting, according to TV station WPTZ.

"In this case, it was not the police that were setting Mr. Read up -- to entice Mr. Read to come over here to have sex with what he thought was a 15- and a 17-year-old girl," Detective Sgt. James Claremont said.

According to court documents, Read's estranged wife accidentally sent him a text from a new cell phone. He didn't know who sent the message, and when she sent another message to apologize, he replied, "No problem -- just someone new to talk to."

The woman told Read she was 17 and that she had a 15-year-old friend. From there, the texting got personal and they made plans to meet for sex, according to the court documents.

"In my experience, I've never encountered this where an estranged wife has been the one that set up the sting," Claremont said.

The court papers also indicated that Read was asked to meet the two girls at a gas station in South Hero, Vt.

Read, 40, of Plattsburgh, N.Y., arrived at the gas station hours early, state police said, and parked around the corner. State police said Read had two flower bouquets with him.

Instead of meeting the girls, however, he met state troopers.

"He acknowledged that he came over based on the text messages that were sent to him to have sex with a 15- and 17-year-old girl," Claremont said.

Police said it doesn't matter who was behind the sting, saying Read left his home in thinking he would meet underage girls.