The Baldwin County Sheriff's Office and the Etowah County Sheriff's Office are 270 miles apart, but that didn't stop the two agencies from working together to bring justice to an imaginary teenage girl.
James Eric Sitz, 50, of Boaz, was arrested as part of an undercover sting by Baldwin County deputies.
Investigators said the investigation began in August 2025 and continued through January. Sitz is accused of ongoing communications with a person he thought was a 14-year-old female. The person was actually an undercover investigator. He is accused of having inappropriate conversations and soliciting nude images from the perceived underage victim.
Deputies worked with the Etowah County Sheriff's Office to serve an arrest warrant on January 8 at a home on Maple Drive in Boaz. They seized his electronic devices and found evidence that Sitz had been communicating with actual live victims. Deputies believe those deputies were real underage children.
"This arrest is the result of a proactive, long-term investigation and strong cooperation between local, state, and federal partners," said Baldwin County Sheriff's Office Lt. Andrew Ashton. "Protecting our children is a top priority, and we remain committed to identifying and holding accountable anyone who seeks to exploit our children within the community."
Sitz was charged with electronic solicitation of a child. Additional charges are possible.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Baldwin County District Attorney's Office, the Etowah County District Attorney's Office and the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Alabama are supporting the investigation and continuing to work toward prosecution and victim identification.
Sitz is considered innocent until proven guilty.
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