Varun Trivedi Convicted Of 2 Importuning Charges; Cleared On Rape, Kidnapping & Other Charges

Varun Trivedi -- the 26-year-old Mayfield Heights man who is accused of trying to seduce what he thought was a 12-year-old girl -- was convicted of two counts of importuning after his bench trial before Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge John Sutula.

However, he was found not guilty of more serious charges of attempted rape and attempted kidnapping, as well as three more counts of importuning and a count of possession of criminal tools, according to the court's online docket.

Importuning is soliciting a person who is younger than 13 years old to engage in sexual activity, according to the Ohio Revised Code.

Trivedi is scheduled to be sentenced April 25 and he faces up to 10 years in prison.

Between Dec. 22, 2011, and April 26, 2012, 26-year-old Trivedi chatted online with the person and repeatedly inquired about meeting her in person, according to the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office.

Trivedi also described the sexual acts he wanted to perform with the would-be victim, prosecutors said. What he did not know is the "girl" in question was an agent for the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

On April 26, 2012, Trivedi showed for the scheduled meeting with the girl. However, he was met by authorities and arrested without incident.

The following day, a search warrant was executed at Trivedi’s residence. A laptop computer, hard drive, passport and paperwork were seized as part of the investigation.

Sutula oversaw Trivedi's trial earlier this month and then found him guilty of two of the six charges he faced.