Police Say West Hartford Man Posed as UConn Basketball Player in Phone Sex Relationship With 13-Year Old Girl

A West Harford man who allegedly posed as aUConn men’s basketball player is accused of having a phone sex relationship with a 13-year-old New York state girl and receiving nude photos of the victim,  said.

Ernest L. Hamrick, 20, of 1359 Boulevard, was arrested at his home Tuesday, police said. Hamrick was charged with impairing the morals of a child and possession of child pornography, both felonies.

Police said the victim told New York and West Hartford investigators that she and Hamrick planned to meet Dec. 3 at Grand Central Station in New York before her mother discovered the relationship.

The investigation was initiated by the New York State Police after a complaint by the victim’s mother. Hamrick, who police said cooperated with their investigation, was released on a written promise to appear April 21 in Hartford Superior Court.

Hamrick is accused in an arrest warrant of carrying on a one-and-a-half month relationship with the eighth-grader. The victim lives in a small Dutchess County, NY, town, about 3 miles from the Connecticut border.

Hamrick and the victim corresponded by cellphone or text messaging approximately 2,445 times, police said. The victim sent Hamrick 41 photos, including multiple nude pictures of herself, police said.

Based on cellphone records, the relationship lasted from Oct. 23 to Dec. 6, police said. Hamrick told police in February he initially contacted the girl by calling a wrong number. The cellphone calls and text messages became sexual about two weeks into the relationship, the victim told police. Hamrick also exchanged naked photos of himself, police said.

Hamrick told the victim he played basketball for UConn and wore No. 25. When the victim watched UConn’s game against Wichita State Nov. 23, she realized Hamrick was not No. 25, police said. Hamrick then told her that he wore No. 3.