The Logan County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to the 500 block of West Columbus Avenue in reference to a male trying to entice a child to get into his vehicle on Wednesday evening around 7:10.
The male juvenile stated that he was at the corner of West Columbus Avenue and South Caroline Street on his scooter when Ora Tingler, 48, was driving a red Ford Explorer with amber-colored lights on top of it, stopped, and started talking to him.
Tingler asked him to get in his vehicle so he could take him to City Sweets & Creamery to get ice cream. The juvenile stated neighbors started yelling, which caused Tingler to take off. A neighbor then walked him back to his grandma’s house.
Deputies went to the 100 block of South Caroline Street to talk to a witness who reported the accident. The witness said he saw a red Ford Explorer stop next to a little boy and started talking to him. The male recognized Tingler and knew that he was a registered sex offender. The male witness started yelling at Tingler to leave the juvenile alone, and Tingler drove off in a hurry.
Authorities went to 121 East Brown Avenue to make contact with Tingler around 8:30 pm. Tingler denied ever talking to any child but admitted to being in the area of South Caroline Street and West Columbus Avenue. He acknowledged seeing children in the area, but was only in the area to “take pictures for upcoming work.”
Tingler was arrested and transported to the Logan County Jail.
Tingler was charged with criminal child enticement, a felony of the 5th degree.
He was convicted of gross sexual imposition in 1999. Due to the gross sexual imposition conviction, the charge for criminal child enticement was enhanced to a felony of the 5th degree.
