A Prosperity man was arrested after propositioning a police officer masquerading as a teen over the Internet, authorities state.

Attorney General Henry McMaster said that Edward Rosson Slaton, 22, of 2314 Old Jollystreet Road, Prosperity, was arrested Monday in an Internet predator sting conducted by the City of Mauldin Police Department.

Slaton was arrested on one count of criminal solicitation of a minor, which is a felony offense. If convicted, he could be sentenced to up to 10 years of imprisonment.

An arrest warrant alleges that beginning on July 28, Slaton solicited sex on the Internet from an individual he believed to be a 13-year-old girl. In reality, he was soliciting sex from an undercover Mauldin police officer.

A search warrant executed on Slaton’s residence in Prosperity resulted in the seizure of three laptop computers and one desktop computer. The Newberry County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the case and search, but has no charges pending against Slaton.

Slaton was assigned a bond of $25,000.

The City of Mauldin Police Department and Newberry County Sheriff’s Office are members of the Attorney General’s Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force.

This is the 177th person arrested by the task force.

The case will be prosecuted by the Attorney General’s Office.

McMaster stressed that all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they are proven guilty in a court of law.