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A Tracy City man received a shock, both factually and metaphorically speaking, when he answered his door to law enforcement on Monday, June 16. 

Grundy County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from Tracy City Police Department and Constable Kyle Collins, were at the Tracy City home of Johnny McNeal, 48. The trio were there to take McNeal into custody for allegedly using the internet to lure a teenage girl to his home for a sexual encounter.

“When McNeal opened the door to what he believed was a teenage girl, he got an unexpected surprise,” Sheriff’s Detective Avery McGinness said in an online post about the incident. “After resisting arrest, McNeal was tased for compliance and taken into custody by deputies at the scene. The only thing found on his person was an unused condom, confirming his intentions.”

McGinness also added a bit of humor to the situation.

“We’ll just say this: Mr. McNeal, these officers weren’t quite as cute as you thought they’d be.”

McGinness says the 48-year-old used a fake name, as well as an encrypted mobile app in an attempt to hide the conversations he was having with what he believed to be a teenage girl.

“This is a reminder to parents. Know what apps your children are using, who they’re talking to, and what’s happening on their devices,” stated McGinness.

This is the third arrest stemming from an online undercover investigation by Grundy County Sheriff’s Office aimed at catching individuals who attempt to lure children online.

McNeal, who moved from Shelbyville to Tracy City, has been on the run from law enforcement since November 2022 when he failed to appear before Judge William R. Anderson, III. In that court case, he was charged with possession of methamphetamine.