A Ravenna man has been sentenced to prison after investigators say he offered a Columbiana County woman money to have sex with a child while he was free on bond after a previous arrest.

Andrew Wirth, 33, was sentenced this week to 14 years in prison by a federal judge after pleading guilty to sex trafficking of a minor in December.

According to court documents, in May 2019, Wirth was arrested after he used a social networking mobile application in an attempt to meet up with an undercover law enforcement officer, whom he believed was a minor at the time, with the intent of engaging in sexual activity.  Wirth was charged at the state level and was released on bond.

A few months later in November, Major Jeff Allen of the Mahoning County Sheriff's Department said a woman in Columbiana County told authorities that Wirth had contacted her, offering her money to set him up with a child to have sex. Wirth was still free on bond at the time.

The Mahoning County Sheriff's office had an undercover agent posing as the woman contact Wirth through social media and set up a meeting with what he thought would be a 12-year-old child.

Allen said when Wirth showed up for the meeting, he was arrested.

Deputies say Wirth had already booked a hotel room and was carrying $230.  According to Allen, $130 was meant for the woman and $100 for the juvenile.

“This is a prime example that some people just need to be locked up and kept away from the rest of us—and our children,” said Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost.  “Thanks to our partners at the US DOJ, the Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force and Cuyahoga Regional Human Trafficking Task Force, that’s what is going to happen here.’