Feds arrest Rockford man

ROCKFORD - Federal officials have charged a 51-year-old Rockford man with coercion and enticement and receipt and distribution of child pornography, according to a Federal Bureau of Investigation news release.

Jeffrey Armstrong had been scheduled to have an initial appearance on Tuesday in the U.S. District Court's Northern District of Ohio in Toledo, court documents show.

A search warrant was executed at Armstrong's Rockford residence on Monday. He was taken into federal custody without incident at about 7 a.m. at his place of employment in Lima.

Armstrong on Feb. 10 allegedly engaged in a conversation through an online message application with an individual he believed to be interested in sexual relations with minor females. The individual was an FBI online undercover employee.

Armstrong expressed that he shared the same interest, the release states. Over the next 10 days additional conversations reportedly took place between the FBI employee and Armstrong. Those conversations reportedly included the exchange of sexually explicit photos depicting underage females.

"The complaint alleges that Armstrong knows two underage females that he was hoping to engage in sexual activity with, a 5-year and a 6-year-old," the release states. "Armstrong informed the undercover employee that he has engaged in previous sexual activity with minor females."

Law enforcement officials encourage anyone who has a child who has interacted with Armstrong and feels the interactions could have been sexually inappropriate or were an attempt to groom the minor for future sexual interactions to call the FBI at 1-877-FBI-OHIO.

"Armstrong has lived in Rockford, Ohio for several years and has frequented kids sporting activities in Fort Wayne, Indiana," the release states.

The investigation is ongoing.