Chicago-area school employee charged after alleged trip to Livonia

A Chicago-area high school employee was arrested in Livonia on Oct. 12 after allegedly driving to meet someone he believed was a 15-year-old boy for sex, according to an FBI complaint. The person was an undercover officer using an online profile, investigators said.

Christopher Thomas Mertens was charged Oct. 13 with travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. The complaint alleges he continued explicit conversations after learning the profile was 15 and admitted driving from Chicago to meet the person. He appeared in federal court in Detroit on Oct. 13 and was temporarily detained pending trial.

The complaint says Mertens was arrested after arriving at the agreed meeting spot in Livonia. A detention hearing was set for Oct. 15 at 1 p.m.

Read the full story at clickondetroit.com.