Michael Joseph Patterson, 24, of Kouts, Ind., was sentenced Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Bowling Green to three years and 10 months imprisonment for traveling in interstate commerce with intent to engage in sex with a minor in a case that was part of a sting operation shown on national television.

U.S. District Judge Thomas B. Russell also sentenced Patterson to 10 years supervised release following incarceration, according to a report from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Louisville .

Patterson admitted that on Sept. 20, 2007, he engaged in a sexually explicit Internet chat, and multiple cell phone calls with a volunteer from the citizen group Perverted Justice, who was posing as a 13-year-old female child living in Warren County, according to the report.

During the single chat, the defendant requested a picture from the “child,” asked about her level of sexual experience and asked if she would perform oral sex on him, according to the report. At the conclusion of the chat, the defendant spoke with the “child” by phone. After the phone call, the defendant then drove approximately five hours from Indiana to Bowling Green.

Patterson also indicated that he was a police officer. Although Patterson had previously been employed as a reserve police officer in Indiana, at the time of this incident his employment had been terminated, according to the report.

When he arrived at what he believed to be the juvenile’s residence, he was confronted by a film crew from NBC’s “Dateline” and was arrested as he left by Warren County sheriff’s deputies.

The Kentucky Bureau of Investigation, Warren County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office and the Warren County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation and assisted in prosecution.

Arrest — Lance J. Mercer, 24, 851 Kitchens South, was charged with first-degree possession of a controlled substance, second-degree possession of a controlled substance and possession of marijuana at 5:53 p.m. Thursday in the parking lot of West Side Pawn Shop at 738 Old Morgantown Road, according to a Bowling Green Police Department report.

Police had been called to the address for a drug complaint and found prescription drugs in Mercer’s vehicle and marijuana in his pocket, according to the report.

Mercer was released today from the Warren County Regional Jail after posting a $500 bond.

Plea — Christopher Todd Atkins, 30, 403 Jackson St., Franklin, pleaded guilty Wednesday in U.S. District Court to distributing and possessing with intent to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine in both Warren and Simpson counties.

Atkins admitted that on Aug. 22, 2004, in Warren County, he possessed with intent to distribute 250 grams of cocaine, which has a street value of approximately $25,000, according to a report from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

He also admitted that on May 31, 2006, in Simpson County, he had 18 grams crack and 15 grams of cocaine, according to the report.

Atkins has a previous conviction in 1998 in Simpson County for first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance, for which he was sentenced to seven years in prison. After serving approximately one year of his sentence, he received shock probation, which was revoked after approximately one year due to positive drug tests, according to the report. After being returned to state prison, he was paroled after serving about eight months.

Atkins faces up to 40 years imprisonment and there is a statutory mandatory five-year sentence, according to the report.

The case was investigated by the Bowling Green Police Department and the South Central Kentucky Drug Task Force, which serves Simpson and Logan counties.

Plea — Donnie Graves, 48, 51 Hinton Ave., Scottsville, pleaded guilty Wednesday in U.S. District Court to conspiracy to distribute Oxycodone.

Graves admitted that between Dec. 17, 2007, and Jan. 18, 2008, he conspired with others to distribute Oxycodone. The case involves the distribution of at least 500 tablets, which would have a street value of approximately $37,500, according to a report from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Louisville.

The maximum potential sentence is 20 years imprisonment.

Plea — Adrian Donte Nolan, 27, 609 Jackson St., Franklin, pleaded guilty Wednesday in U.S. District court to possession with intent to distribute crack and cocaine.

Nolan admitted on June 19, 2006, he possessed 12 grams of crack and 14 grams of cocaine, according to a report from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Louisville. Police also seized approximately $10,000 in cash, which will be subject to forfeiture as drug proceeds. Nolan has a previous felony conviction in Simpson Circuit Court for possession of a controlled substance in the first degree.

The maximum potential penalty is life imprisonment and Nolan faces a minimum of 10 years in prison.

The case was investigated by the Simpson County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Sentencing — David A. LaGrand, 44, 705 Covington St., was sentenced Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Bowling Green to seven years imprisonment for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession of chemicals used to manufacture methamphetamine and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

LaGrand was also sentenced to three years supervised release following incarceration, according to report from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Louisville.

LaGrand admitted around Nov. 20, 2005, in Warren County, he possessed with intent to distribute 48 grams of methamphetamine and possessed pseudoephedrine pills knowing the pills would be used to manufacture methamphetamine, according to the report.

The case was investigated by the ATF in Bowling Green and the Bowling Green Police Department.

Theft — Four catalytic converters valued at $1,000 were stolen between 5 p.m. Aug. 29 and 7 a.m. Tuesday at Kenworth of Bowling Green at 1331 Parker Ave.

Theft — A pitbull valued at $500 was stolen at about 11 p.m. Tuesday in the 1100 block of High Street, according to a city police report.

Theft — A television valued at $300 was stolen between 6 p.m. Sunday and 10:30 a.m. Monday from the May Fair Motel at 1540 Old Louisville Road, according to a city police report.