A Powell man who attempted to arrange a sexual encounter with who he thought was a 10-year old girl was released on bail Sept. 4 after spending a month in a Franklin County jail.

Kevin L. McDowell, 44, of Ridgeview Court, was arrested at 6 p.m. Aug. 8 as part of a sting by a Franklin County Sheriff's Office task force.

McDowell used the Internet to engage officers posing as a 10-year old girl through an online chat room, according to sheriff's office reports. He arranged a face-to-face meeting, and was arrested when he arrived on scene at an undisclosed Hilliard location with a box of condoms, the reports said.

The deputies are part of a special sheriff's department task force that investigates cases of child pornography and online predators.

McDowell was indicted on two counts of attempted rape Aug. 16 and pleaded not guilty to both charges at a hearing Aug. 20.

He was released after he posted a $150,000 bond Sept. 4, and a judge ordered him to stay away from all juveniles, according to documents from the Franklin County Clerk of Courts.

A trial date is set for Wednesday, Sept. 26.