Two of the six men arrested in a September prostitution sting appeared in court last week.

Both were arraigned before Judge John Parker on Oct. 28 in district court.

Kenneth Jacobs, 50, was charged with a felony count of sexual abuse of children after responding to a Craigslist ad on Sept. 11, believing he was chatting with a 15-year-old boy. In an interview with detectives, Jacobs admitted to sending the messages and that he had traveled to have sex with the teenage boy. He also admitted to having sexual attraction to children, according to court documents.

Six arrested in Great Falls undercover teenage prostitution sting

He’s being held in the Cascade County Adult Detention Center on a $70,000 bond.

During the hearing, his defense attorney, Dean Koffler, said Jacobs couldn’t afford that bond and asked Parker to reduce it to $50,000.

Koffler said Jacobs would be willing do house arrest as a condition of release with a limitation on his access to devices with internet connections.

Koffler said Jacobs has lived in Great Falls since 1997 and would live with his mother if released from jail.

Jacobs said he didn’t have income other than Supplemental Security Income, SSI, through Social Security.

Koffler said he takes medication for a seizure disorder and some other medical issues. The jail is providing the medication and medical care, but charges for it and Jacobs is about $800 in arrears.

Koffler said if Jacobs wasn’t in jail, Medicaid would cover those costs.

John Brothers, a deputy county attorney, asked Parker to maintain the bond since the jail is providing medical care and Jacobs had arranged to have sex with a 15-year-old boy in the sting.

During the investigation, Brothers said Jacobs had admitted to having a conversation with underage children and had asked if his computer would be seized. Law enforcement asked if he had child sexual abuse material on the device, to which Jacobs allegedly responded there was just one girl.

Great Falls man charged for grooming a child for sex offenses

Brothers said the investigation was ongoing but law enforcement believed there may be more inappropriate behavior going on and that Jacobs was a risk to the community.

Parker said that Jacobs was innocent until proven guilty, but the allegations were “too severe to warrant bail reduction.”

A jury trial is currently set for Jacobs at 9 a.m. Jan. 11.

Zachary Kerbs. 39, appeared before Parker and entered a plea of not guilty.

Kerbs was charged with felony counts of child prostitution and criminal possession of dangerous drugs with intent to distribute.

Kerbs responded to an online ad on Sept. 10 believing it was a 16-year-old girl.

He asked if the girls wanted to get high and agreed to come to a certain location.

When he approached the door and saw a detective in CCSO clothing, Kerbs ran, but was apprehended by officers.

During a search, officers found what they believed to be methamphetamine in his pocket, according to court documents.

Kerbs admitted to detectives that he sent the messages, had and used meth and was seeking an escort service, according to court documents.

Kerbs has a criminal history in Cascade County including 11 felony offenses with no convictions, and 15 misdemeanor charges with five convictions.

He’s alleged to be involved in the criminal distribution of dangerous drugs to minors and in soliciting minors for prostitution.

There was no bail argument during the hearing and Parker said Kerb’s trial was set for 9 a.m. Feb. 1.

Kerbs’ bond was set at $100,000. He’s no longer listed on the jail roster.

In September, the Cascade County Sheriff’s Office, Cascade County Attorney’s Office and Great Falls Police Department conducted a two-day undercover prostitution sting operation.

Law enforcement arrested and charged six who were seeking underage prostitutes after responding to an online ad, in which officers posed as underage girls and boys.

County Attorney Josh Racki told The Electric last month that by posting ads on certain websites related to prostitution that are known to law enforcement, government agents provided an opportunity for people to commit an offense, but that doesn’t qualify as entrapment under the law.

He said defendants went to those websites and based on their chats with the undercover officers or decoys, they understood what they were doing.

Others arrested were:

• Chad Boggess, 38, who traveled from Helena to Great Falls to have sex with a 15-year-old girl, charged with a felony count of sexual abuse of children; prosecution sought a $100,000 bond
• Matthew Chambers, 52, who traveled to Great Falls to have sex with two underage girls, aged 15 and 16, charged with two felony counts of patronizing a prostitute; prosecution sought a $100,000 bond
• Bryden Martinez, who was seeking sex with a 16-year-old girl, charged with a felony count of child prostitution; prosecution sought a $100,000 bond
• Donnell Young, 35, who traveled from Idaho to have sex with a 16-year-old girl, charged with a felony count of patronizing a prostitute; prosecution sought a $200,000 bond since he is a registered sex offender with a previous conviction for sexual abuse of minors involving the internet

Boggess responded to an ad on Adult Friend Finder on Sept. 11, believing he was chatting with a 15-year-old girl.

Boggess remains in the county jail on a $100,000 bond.

Chambers was arrested on Sept. 10 with $200 cash in his pocket, after discussing the price for two hours with what he believed were two teenage girls in an online chat.

Chambers had a $100,000 bond, but is no longer listed on the jail roster.

Martinez responded to an ad on Sept. 11 and asked who he believed to be a 16-year-old girl for a car date and whether to bring condoms and how much money.

He negotiated the rate for sex and agreed to $30 for sex.

When he arrived at the set location, he texted the undercover officer that he felt nervous and left, but officers had seen the vehicle, which Martinez had previously been stopped in by law enforcement.

When he left the location, officers executed a traffic stop and took him into custody, according to court documents.

In an interview with detectives, he admitted to agreeing to pay $30 for sex and that it was a prostitution arrangement with a 16-year-old girl, according to court documents.

Martinez bonded out on $70,000.

Young responded to an ad on Sept. 11 asking who he believed to be a 16-year-old girl if she’d agree to a car date, but eventually went to the undercover location, where he spoke with the underage decoys at the door, but left.

He drove to a gas station and texted the undercovers that he was nervous but asked to meet the girl again. When he arrived at the location the second time, he was arrested.

Young told officers he was from Idaho and was in Montana for work.

He remains in jail on a $200,000 bond.