Somerdale man charged with trying to meet 13-year-old for sex

A 49-year-old Somerdale man is accused of arranging to have sex with a 13-year-old girl he met through a chat app.

In reality, the person that Richard J. Kostrub was texting with for a month or so was a federal agent, according to Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina.

His online activities were discovered by law enforcement officials earlier this month.

During his chats, Kostrub sent a nude photo of a young girl to the person he believed he would be meeting, authorities said. He also said he wanted to take her virginity.

On Tuesday, Kostrub traveled from his Camden County home to a Walmart on Route 70 in Evesham Township, believing he would meet the young teen, Coffina said.

Instead, he was met by investigators from the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office High-Tech Crimes Unit, Evesham Township police and the Cherry Hill office of U.S. Homeland Security Investigations, who immediately took him into custody.

Kostrub was charged with luring, attempted sexual assault, possession of child sexual abuse material with intent to distribute and distribution of child sexual abuse material — all second-degree counts.

He also has been charged with possession of third-degree child sexual abuse material and fourth-degree attempted criminal sexual contact.

As of Wednesday, he was being held at Burlington County Jail, pending a detention hearing.

Erin Vogt is a reporter and anchor for New Jersey 101.5. You can reach her at erin.vogt@townsquaremedia.com

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