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David Coles Sr., a 76-year-old Bristol resident, was arrested early Wednesday, March 1 in Bensalem, township police said in a statement.
Coles, who in 1997 was convicted of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and aggravated indecent assault, first came under Bensalem police scrutiny last November when detectives found a profile he made on a dating site, the department wrote.
At that time, authorities said he had exchanged messages with a person he believed to be a 14-year-old boy from Bensalem. Police said Coles "expressed interest in meeting the juvenile for a sexual encounter," but later "tapered off" contact with the decoy.
Then, on Wednesday, Feb. 22, officials said Coles re-emerged on another dating app. In a conversation with a decoy he believed to be a "middle-school-aged male," police said the 76-year-old agreed to the "boy" up and bring him back to his apartment for sex.
Bensalem police took Coles into custody at the arranged meetup spot at 10:15 a.m. Wednesday, the department said. After an interview with detectives, he was charged with unlawful contact with a minor, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, aggravated indecent assault, corruption of minors, and related counts, according to authorities.
State court records show Coles was unable to post 10 percent of a $10 million bail bond and remains in custody. He will return to court on March 15 for a preliminary hearing.
Bensalem police suspect the 76-year-old may have met with other minors using dating apps. To submit a tip, call Detective Ryan Kolb at 215-633-3746.
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