Ex-Professor Armitage Admits Traveling for Sex with Minor

KANSAS CITY, MO – A once-respected academic traded his lecture hall for a rendezvous with depravity, pleading guilty today to crossing state lines for the purpose of exploiting a child. Kevin Connor Armitage, 53, formerly a professor of American studies at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, admitted in federal court to traveling to Kansas City, Missouri, believing he was meeting a 14-year-old girl for sexual activity.

Armitage faces up to 30 years in federal prison without parole after entering a guilty plea before U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to the charge of traveling across state lines to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor. The case reveals a disturbing pattern of behavior, according to court documents. Armitage wasn’t a novice; he was a seasoned participant in a shadowy online world dedicated to commercial sex.

Prosecutors detailed how Armitage was a prolific user of a website rife with explicit accounts of sexual encounters, boasting 576 postings detailing his experiences with prostitutes across multiple states – Ohio, Arizona, Kansas, Colorado, and even Tijuana, Mexico. The site wasn’t just a marketplace for transactions; it was a digital den of iniquity, featuring links to known sex trafficking sites and “reviews” of sexual encounters. Armitage actively sought connections through the site, seeking out potential victims.

The FBI caught wind of Armitage’s intentions when he posted seeking recommendations for services in the Kansas City area on May 22, 2018. An undercover agent responded, posing as a 14-year-old female. After a series of conversations, Armitage agreed to meet the supposed girl’s “cousin” – actually an FBI undercover employee – at a restaurant on Kansas City’s Country Club Plaza on May 30, 2018, to discuss payment. He arrived at the restaurant expecting to receive directions to his victim. Instead, he was met with handcuffs.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Teresa A. Moore is prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, and the FBI. The investigation is part of Project Safe Childhood, a national initiative dedicated to combating child sexual exploitation and abuse. This isn’t simply about one predator; it’s about dismantling the networks that enable these crimes.

Sentencing will be scheduled following a presentence investigation. While the maximum statutory sentence is 30 years, the actual sentence will be determined by the court considering advisory guidelines and other factors. This case serves as a chilling reminder of the dangers lurking online and the relentless efforts of law enforcement to protect the most vulnerable among us. Resources for internet safety and reporting child exploitation can be found at www.usdoj.gov/psc.