A Marcus man arrested in a police decoy operation has pleaded guilty to grooming in Cherokee County District Court as part of a plea deal.
Forty‑three‑year‑old Travis Ehrig entered the plea on June 19, ending a monthslong investigation that began with an undercover sting by local law enforcement.
Court records say Ehrig used a social networking app earlier this year to contact someone he believed was a 15‑year‑old boy. The individual was actually an undercover officer with the Marcus Police Department. Investigators say Ehrig engaged in sexually explicit conversations and arranged a meeting, where officers arrested him on March 12.
The next day, the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office and Marcus Police Department executed a search warrant at Ehrig’s home in the 300 block of North Ames Street. Officers seized multiple electronic devices, including cell phones and tablets, as part of the investigation. According to court filings, Ehrig is a registered sex offender, previously convicted in a 2018 case involving intent to commit sexual abuse of a child under the age of 13.
Ehrig was originally charged with three offenses — grooming, enticing a minor and dissemination of obscene material to a minor. Prosecutors agreed to drop the latter two charges as part of the plea deal. He had pleaded not guilty to all counts in April before changing his plea last month.
He was booked into the Cherokee County Jail on a $10,000 bond following his arrest. Records show he will receive credit for time served while awaiting sentencing.
Under Iowa law, grooming is a Class D felony, carrying a penalty of up to 10 years in prison. Ehrig’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for Aug. 17 in Cherokee County District Court.