A 36-year old Lumberton man is in the Hardin County Jail charged with solicitation of a minor online
and tampering with evidence. Jeffery Lynn Marcantel thought he was communicating online with a
14-year old boy for sexual reasons and set up a meeting at the Lumberton Wal-Mart. The person on
the other end was an adult who videoed a meeting between the two and posted it on YouTube. That
led police to Mercantel, who turned himself in. Mercantel is jailed under two $150,000 bonds. The
tampering with evidence charge came after Mercantel erased his phone, which was evidence. He
has also been ordered to undergo a mental evaluation.