Hearing set for man accused of human trafficking
Apr. 30—A Virginia sex offender who allegedly came to Beckley in October to rape a child will appear at a sentencing and plea hearing before Raleigh County Circuit Court Judge Andrew Dimlich.
David Michael Green Kemp, 37, of Rural Retreat, Va., was arrested in Mercer County on October 3, moments after he had left The Lion's Den adult bookstore parking lot in Ghent, according to court documents.
He is scheduled to appear before Dimlich on Monday to offer a plea agreement and face sentencing on a charge of patronizing a victim of sex trafficking.
Since Kemp allegedly believed he was paying a mother to rape her 14-year-old child, the charge is enhanced. He faces three to 15 years in prison.
Raleigh County Prosecuting Attorney Ben Hatfield will present the state's case before Dimlich.
Kemp had responded to an ad that appeared on Craigslist on Sept. 30, according to court documents.
"Young mama bear in town/N town for a getaway with the little cubs. Lookin or family friendly playtime. Hmu if you think ur like minded," read the ad.
The ad was ostensibly placed by a "mother" who was offering to allow strangers to rape her children. When Kemp responded to the email, the "poster" stated to him that she was "selling her children, ages 11 and 14, for sexual activity," according to the criminal complaint against Kemp.
Kemp allegedly told the poster that he wanted to pay $250. He said he drove an 18-wheeler and that he would meet the child and mother at Tamarack. He asked the woman to send a photo of herself to show that she was "real," and a photo was sent to Kemp, police reported.
Kemp later contacted the Craiglist poster and told her that he is a "big man" and asked if it would matter, police stated. Kemp also told the woman that he would like to pay to have sex with her. She told him that the ad was only for the children and that she would not have sex with him as part of the arrangement, court documents show.
The woman set up a meeting with Kemp outside the Lion's Den, an adult bookstore in Ghent, on Oct. 3. On the night of the arranged meeting, the woman advised that she was at the store and said she did not feel comfortable walking to his truck. She asked to meet him inside the adult bookstore, but Kemp replied, "No thanks."
When Kemp's truck left the lot, Raleigh Sheriff deputies were assisted by Mercer County law enforcement agents in setting up a traffic stop in Mercer. Kemp was arrested but told officers he was only trying to see if the situation was "real" so that he could report it to authorities. He said he also believed the woman was the "police."
According to court documents, Kemp was a registered sex offender.
