A Kunkletown man employed as a Pennsylvania State trooper at the Fern Ridge barracks has been charged with soliciting prostitution.

Benjamin Toth, 32, has been charged after an investigation revealed he sent emails soliciting sex between 2013 and 2014.

Toth is facing one count of patronizing a prostitute, a misdemeanor.

According to the affidavit of probable cause filed by the Pennsylvania State Police Internal Affairs Division, Bureau of Integrity and Professional Standards:

The investigation began on Sept. 13, 2016, when a woman filed a complaint with the Pocono Mountain Regional Police Department regarding her husband, Toth.

She said that Toth had been soliciting women for sex and had paid prostitutes for sex, using the social media applications on Facebook and Craigslist to search for women and offer money in exchange for sex.

Toth’s wife showed a list of Craigslist postings with subjects of a sexually explicit nature which solicited sexual acts in exchange for money. She also provided several electronic devices, including an Apple iPhone 4 previously used by Toth.

Police consulted with the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office and determined the investigation would be conducted by the Pennsylvania State Police, Internal Affairs Division.

On Sept. 15, 2016, Toth’s wife provided paperwork completed by Toth while receiving therapy for a sex addiction at the Keystone Center Extended Care Unit, which he attended from April 18 to May 18, 2016. The paperwork contained Toth’s handwritten responses to various questions, and identified his “bottom line behaviors” as “infidelity, sex with prostitutes, searching web for prostitutes/women for anonymous sex, creating secret online profiles/emails, cybersex, sending/receiving explicit photos, masturbation, porn, lying, eroticized rage, using work resources inappropriately, sex with prostitutes in bedroom or vehicles,” and other acts.

On Feb. 28, 2015, Toth responded to a report of a suspicious vehicle for a woman who was sleeping in the driver’s seat of a green 1997 Nissan Altima that was parked on Edward Smith Boulevard in Middle Smithfield Township.

From his police car, Toth submitted inquires to the Commonwealth Law Enforcement Assistance Network, and obtained the woman’s name, address, date of birth and Social Security number. Toth also asked the woman for her telephone number.

On March 7, 2015, Toth used an alias Facebook account profile to start a text conversation with the woman.

On April 20, 2015, the woman thanked Toth for his help and asked if she could borrow $20 from him.

On June 9, 2015, Toth asked the woman to send pictures to his email in exchange for help.

On Sept. 15, 2015, the woman asked if Toth could send money via Western Union to East Stroudsburg, and that she would then send him five pictures and would meet him if agreed to do that.

On Sept. 16, 2015, Toth asked the woman if she was all right if they engaged in a sexual act, and later asked if he could meet her somewhere to give her the money.

The woman said she would rather Toth send the money first and then they could meet up. Toth said he would need a day or two to get her the money.

On Aug. 29, 2015, Toth used the state police patrol computer to obtain the woman’s vehicle registration and operator license number. Toth did not have a valid reason for submitting these inquiries.

On Aug. 1, 2017, Toth’s wife provided additional electronic items to police at the Troop N, Lehighton station.

Police reviewed the emails on the iPhone and saw an email address that was used to send and receive emails linked to more than 20 Craigslist postings.

The emails were conversations discussing sexual acts in exchange for money.

The emails occurred between Sept. 14, 2013, and Oct. 9, 2014.

Police obtained the IP address on July 10, 2015, through a court order. The address came back to Toth, who was living in Albrightsville.

Toth faces charges of prostitution and related offenses.

He is scheduled to have a preliminary hearing June 6 before District Judge Richard Claypool of Pocono Pines.