A lengthy investigation by Princeton police officers has led to a Franklin County man’s arrest for online sex crimes.

John Allen Ward, 45, of Lawrenceburg, was taken into custody Thursday, Feb. 25 by Lawrenceburg Police Department officers.

Local officers traveled to Franklin County on Friday to transport Ward to Princeton.

Assistant Chief R.L. Howton said Ward’s arrest came after a 15-month investigation by local officers.

Officers, posing as a 15-year-old female, would enter Internet chat rooms and be solicited by adults for sex.

Police obtained warrants for Ward as a result of that online activity.

He is charged with seven counts of prohibited use of electronic equipment to procure a minor/peace officer regarding sex and six counts of distribution of obscene matter to minors.

• A South Seminary Street man was jailed Monday afternoon in connection with a theft from the Walmart parking lot.

Byron D. Boyd, 37, was arrested at 3:39 p.m. Monday on a warrant charging him with theft of property lost, mislaid or delivered by mistake.

The warrant, Howton said, stems from a Feb. 13 complaint alleging that Boyd took a netbook computer valued at $298 from a shopping cart on the supercenter’s parking lot.

The computer had been purchased by a customer and unintentionally left in the cart.

Officers used footage from Walmart security cameras to identify Boyd as the person who took the computer and contacted him about the theft.

Boyd returned the computer to officers on Feb. 20, and officers obtained a warrant for his arrest.

• At 1:34 a.m. Tuesday, officers arrested Dwight S. Smith, 42, of North Harrison Street, for DUI, driving on a suspended license and having a license plate not illuminated.

Officers stopped a 1997 Ford driven by Smith for traffic violations and determined that he was impaired and his license was suspended. He was jailed.

• A Baldwin Avenue man was arrested and jailed Sunday afternoon on burglary and assault charges.

Officers arrested 39-year-old Barry D. Brewer at 3 p.m. for second-degree burglary and fourth-degree assault after responding to a disturbance complaint at 220 Baldwin Ave.

The victim, police said, was Brewer’s son, Barry D. Brewer II.

He told officers that his father had entered his residence unannounced and physically assaulted him, grabbing him by the throat and striking him about the head and face.

The elder Brewer was gone when officers arrived. They located him at his residence and took him into custody.

• Ricky D. Cochran, 48, of North Jefferson Street, was arrested at 3:15 a.m. Saturday on a charge of fourth-degree assault after officers responded to a disturbance complaint at his residence.

The victim, Cochran’s live-in girlfriend, told officers that Cochran had physically assaulted her by striking her head and face with his hands.

He was taken into custody and jailed.