A 27-year-old Air Force member assigned to Nellis Air Force Base has been found guilty at a general court-martial after attempting to pay for sex with someone he believed was a 14-year-old girl.
Senior Airman Errol Pottinger, originally from Fort Pierce, Florida, was sentenced to five years of confinement, a dishonorable discharge, and a reduction in rank to Airman Basic (E-1) following his conviction for attempted sexual abuse of a child under Article 120b of the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
The trial concluded on August 20, 2025, with a panel of enlisted members delivering a guilty verdict after hearing the details of a sex sting operation led by North Las Vegas Police.
According to police records obtained by 8 News Now Investigators, Pottinger was caught in an undercover operation on January 30, 2024, after he responded to a prostitution ad posted by law enforcement on MegaPersonals—a website commonly associated with adult services.
An undercover officer posing as a minor used a decoy phone number to engage Pottinger. After being informed that the girl was only 14 years old, Pottinger allegedly responded that it wouldn’t be a problem as long as “they weren’t a virgin.”
The two agreed to a price of $140 and arranged to meet at Desert Horizon Park. Pottinger showed up with the cash and was promptly arrested by waiting officers.
During questioning, Pottinger admitted to authorities that since being stationed in Las Vegas, he had developed what he called a “sex addiction” that had spiraled out of control. He reportedly told investigators that he had used MegaPersonals about 20 times, meeting approximately 10 women in person.
Court documents also show that Pottinger was originally charged in North Las Vegas Justice Court with soliciting a child for prostitution and luring or attempting to lure a person believed to be a child, before the case was transferred to the military justice system.
At trial, Capt. James M. Cortez served as Pottinger’s defense counsel. The prosecution team included circuit and base trial counsel under a military judge at Nellis AFB.
A spokesperson for the installation stated, “A dishonorable discharge is a punitive discharge reserved for those who, in the opinion of the court, should be separated under conditions of dishonor after conviction of serious offenses of a civil or military nature warranting such severe punishment.”
Before joining the military, Pottinger was known locally in Fort Pierce, Florida, as a successful high school wrestler. A 2014 article from Fort Pierce Westwood High School highlights Pottinger as a district champion in the 120-pound weight class, advancing to state-level competition alongside his teammates.
The Air Force has not released public details about when Pottinger joined the service or what roles he held during his enlistment.
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