Zimmerman Man Sentenced for Soliciting a Child in Police Sting

ST. CLOUD -- A Stearns County judge has sentenced a Zimmerman man who pleaded guilty to soliciting a child for sex.

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Twenty-three-year-old Gunner Hoffard has received a stayed sentence of one year and three months in prison. He must register as a predatory offender and complete a Men Accountable for Sexual Exploitation class.

Hoffard pleaded guilty to solicitation of a child to engage in sexual conduct in February. A second charge of using electronic communication to describe sexual conduct with a child has been dismissed as part of the plea agreement.

According to the charges, Hoffard made a friend request to a decoy account of a girl set up by the Central Minnesota Human Trafficking Task Force. After the undercover officer accepted the friend request, Hoffard reached out and asked how old the girl was and the officer replied she was 15-years-old. Records show Hoffard then asked for nude pictures of the girl and referenced sex acts.

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