Four Men Accused Of Arranging To Meet Up With 13-Year-Old Boy For Sex In Hudson Valley

The arrests were the result of an investigation in Orange County that began when Port Jervis officers stopped to investigate a suspicious vehicle parked in the parking lot of a closed business after hours on Sept. 4, said Port Jervis Chief William Worden. 

During the stop, officers found Kerry Sauer, 56, of Port Jervis, with a 13-year-old male victim whom he met online using Grindr, Worden said.

Grindr is an online dating application geared towards gay, bisexual and trans people. 

Sauer was arrested and charged with two counts of disseminating indecent materials to minors, tampering with physical evidence, all felonies, and three counts of endangering the welfare of a child. 

He is being held at the Orange County Jail on a $75,000 bail. 

Following Sauer's arrest, Port Jervis City detectives continued to investigate the case and located three additional suspects regarding separate incidents involving a 13-year-old male victim.

According to Worden, detectives using the 13-year-old victims’ phone set up meets with the men in Port Jervis at a certain location. Once the defendant arrived, he was taken into custody.

The arrests include:

• Jeremy Barrella, 46, of Belvidere, New Jersey, was arrested on Thursday, Oct. 17, and charged with disseminating indecent materials to minors, two counts of criminal sexual act, and endangering the welfare of a child. He is being held on $150,000 bail at the Orange County Jail.
• John Wells, 49, of Milford, Pennsylvania, was arrested on Thursday, Oct. 17, and charged with two counts of disseminating indecent materials to minors, two counts of criminal sexual act, aggravated patronizing a minor, attempted aggravated patronizing a minor, attempted criminal sexual act, and endangering the welfare of a child. He is being held on $100,000 cash bail at the Orange County Jail. 
• James Kientopp, 21, of Sparrowbush, was arrested on Thursday, Oct. 17, for disseminating indecent materials to minors, two counts of criminal sexual act, and endangering the welfare of a child, a misdemeanor. 

Wells was charged after police made contact with a 13-year-old boy using Grindr, Worden said. 

Wells is being held at the Orange County Jail on $75,000 cash bail pending further court appearances.

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