WILLIAMSBURG, Ky. — A Knoxville, Tenn. man found himself in a Whitley County, Ky. jail cell after allegedly attempting a meeting with what he thought was a 12-year-old female.

Billy Williams, 48, of Knoxville reportedly communicated with a decoy posing as a 12-year-old girl from “Perverted Justice” — an online investigating agency that targets sexual predators — and attempted to meet the decoy in a Williamsburg, Ky. location.

A meeting was set up in a Williamsburg restaurant. When Williams arrived, he was met by members from the Attorney General’s Department of Criminal Investigations along with officers from the Williamsburg Police Department, who arrested Williams without incident.

Williams is charged with first degree unlawful transaction with a minor, a Class C felony that carries a five to ten year prison sentence. Commonwealth Attorney Allen Tremble is expected to prosecute the case.

“This arrest was the result of collaboration between investigators at the state and local level. I appreciate the fact that, working together, we were able to execute this arrest and help keep Kentucky families safe,” stated Kentucky Attorney General Jack Conway.

The Office of the Attorney General has arrested 29 men in three previous sexual-predator stings. Twenty-seven cases have resulted in guilty verdicts or pleas. Two defendants are awaiting trial.

C.J. Harte is a Correspondent for the Daily News. He can be reached via e-mail at charte@middlesborodailynews.com.