A New Castle man has been arrested after allegedly engaging in sexual activity with someone believed to be a minor online.

According to the release, 39-year-old Nathan Troup was one of the 27 people arrested as part of "Operation Moving Target."

Troup has been a registered sex offender in Pennsylvania. In 2010 Troup was convicted of interstate transportation of material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor.

"Operation Moving Target" was an undercover operation led by the Ohio Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and was conducted between Monday, August 24, and Thursday, August 27.

The defendants in the case are between 21 and 61-years-old and allegedly engaged in sexually explicit online conversations with undercover officers posing as children.

According to the release, the defendants expressed an interest in engaging in sexual activity with the purported children and sent images of their genitals during the conversations.

The defendants then traveled to a pre-arranged location, a vacant house in Cuyahoga County, and were arrested.

"As we have seen, the number of Cybertips dramatically increase this year, it is clear that online predators remain a serious threat to our children," said Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O'Malley. "Hopefully, the success of yet another operation serves as a stern warning to offenders that you will be found, you will be arrested, and you will be prosecuted."

Initial charges against the defendants include Attempted Unlawful Sexual Conduct with a Minor, Disseminating Matter Harmful to Juveniles, Importuning, and Possessing Criminal Tools.