YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - An on-duty Youngstown Police Officer was
arrested over night and is being held in the Mahoning County Jail.
Detective-Sergeant Robert Lodwick was arraigned Friday on
felony charges of illegal use of a minor in sexually oriented material and
importuning.
Lodwick is being held on $100,000 bond and if he is released
he will be on electronically-monitored house arrest.
Before Lodwick could be arraigned, other inmates had to be
placed on lockdown because they are aware of who he is and have made threats.
Sources say Youngstown Police Chief Rod Foley immediately
began an investigation and worked with the Ohio Bureau of Criminal
Investigation, or BCI, to begin a probe into the allegations of misconduct related
to a juvenile.
Prosecutors said the 14-year-old alleged victim was a victim
in a case and said Lodwick, as an officer, should have been protecting her, not
attempting to solicit her as alleged in the criminal complaint.
Lodwick, a lifelong resident of the area, had been assigned to the Family Services Unit
that often deals with juveniles and underage victims, but it's unclear if
that's how he met the suspected victim.
The Mahoning County Sheriff's Office also assisted in the
arrest.
Lodwick was ordered to have no contact with the juvenile
victim and had to surrender his firearm. He is not permitted access to a
computer or any other similar device.
Sources tell 21 News Lodwick has admitted to the crimes to
authorities