ELLICOTT CITY, Md. — An Ellicott City man has plead guilty to the federal charge of attempted possession of child pornography.
According to his guilty plea, between September 7 and October 10 2018, Mark David Franklin used online applications to attempt to induce an individual he believed to be a 13-year-old girl to engage in sexually explicit activity and send Franklin photos of the sexual conduct.
Franklin was communicating with an undercover FBI Special Agent.
In his plea agreement, Franklin said he engaged in sexually explicit conversations with the minor, sending her sexually explicit photographs as well as requesting them from her. He also discussed meeting with her in person to engage in sexual acts.
On October 10, he traveled from Ellicott City to Frederick, Maryland, to meet and engage in sex acts with the 13-year-old girl. Once he arrived at the location, he was arrested.
At the time, he was in possession of a teddy bear requested by the 13-year-old girl, condoms, two blankets and a towel.
Franklin faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. He is scheduled to be sentenced on December 17, 2019.
