Great police work by New Albany Police Officer Jake Steinbrueck led to the conviction and sentencing of a northwest Ohio man charged with sex crimes.

On January 4, 2023, 52-year-old Scott Meeks of Williams County received 6 to 9 years in prison for importuning and pandering, both felonies.

In April 2021, Officer Steinbrueck worked with the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force to assist with their mission of protecting victims from sex crimes, including human trafficking. Officer Steinbrueck logged onto an online chat room using an undercover profile. Police say Meeks solicited sex from and sent nude photos of himself to the officer’s undercover profile. The Williams County Sheriff’s Office, assisted by New Albany detectives, arrested Meeks in November 2021 after his supposed meeting with a 15-year-old girl turned out to be a meeting with a police officer.

“We are committed to doing what we can to prevent crimes against children,” said New Albany Police Chief Greg Jones. “It’s important to partner with other law enforcement agencies to combat sex crimes. We want to keep criminals locked up and away from computer keyboards where they seize opportunities to victimize innocent lives.”

In 2022, the New Albany Police Department joined the Franklin County ICAC Task Force. NAPD is also one of 330 partner law enforcement agencies with Ohio ICAC.

Safety Tips from NAPD
The internet is a great communication tool but is also used to recruit human trafficking victims. To help protect yourself and loved ones, set strict privacy settings on personal social media accounts, beware of strange friend requests, and flag it-don’t share it. Contact New Albany Police at 614-855-1234 if you suspect human trafficking.