Buffalo, NY – Erie County Sheriff Timothy B. Howard reports the Erie County Sheriff’s School Resource Officer, Road Patrol, and Detectives collaborated on an investigation that culminated in the arrest of a 20-year-old Alden male on March 4.

After receiving a string of inappropriate and unwanted text messages, the 15-year-old victim contacted school officials who then contacted the Erie County Sheriff’s Office.  The text messages included indecent pictures of his anatomy, strong sexual content, and conversations about having sex with the victim.

Detectives arrested Jim Hershberger, a resident of Alden, and charged him with a felony count of disseminating indecent material to minors and a misdemeanor count of endangering the welfare of a minor.

The defendant was held at the Erie County Holding Center following his arraignment on $2,500.00 bail and was later released.  The defendant is scheduled to be in Village of Alden Court on March 21.

The sheriff’s school resource officer will continue to follow up with the victim and the immediate family.