[Stardust]

Former University of Kentucky basketball player Michael Porter was arrested after a sting operation by Lexington police yielded evidence that he had oral sex with an underage girl, according to court documents.

When the former Wildcat was arrested by police at a home on Woodford Drive, he told officers he got involved in a relationship with the girl "because he was addicted to pornography," according to a search warrant obtained by the Herald-Leader. The information was first reported by WKYT-TV (Channel 27).

Porter, 25, was charged with multiple felony counts of sodomy and sex abuse last week. He has pleaded not guilty.

Porter is accused of engaging in sexual activity with the girl in 2009 and 2010, when she was 14 and 15. The victim, who was not named in the warrant, is now 17.

Porter and his attorney, Jim Lowry of Lexington, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

According to the warrant, Lexington police were notified about the allegations May 10 by a police detective in Nicholasville, who said he had evidence that Porter "has been engaging in sexual activity" with the teen.

The warrant says Lexington police detectives interviewed the girl May 14. She told detectives she met Porter at church functions, where Porter was a group leader.

"She went on to say he took her home from these functions" but stopped at a parking lot where "they would engage in oral sex," the warrant said.

The girl said she and Porter messaged each other on Facebook and would sometimes call and text each other.

"Though the conversations began benign, they eventually turned sexual in nature, as he would relay to her sexual things he would like to do," the warrant said.

The teen sent a "half-naked" picture of herself to Porter over an instant messaging program, the warrant said.

Several hours after the interview with the girl, police began a "phone/text sting," with Porter that yielded information which corroborated her statements, the warrant said, including that they had oral sex in her bedroom.

During the sting operation, Porter said he "wanted her to take more photos of herself because he had to delete the one she sent him," the warrant said.

Police went to Porter's house about 1:45 p.m. May 15, where he was interrogated and arrested. He corroborated the victim's statements and said he was addicted to pornography, the warrant said.

The warrant did not name the church where Porter met the girl, though Porter told the Herald-Leader in a 2009 interview that he and his wife, Bryana, were members of Southland Christian Church. The Porters have a daughter named Payslie.

The executive pastor at Southland has said Porter used to be a volunteer there, but he declined further comment.

Porter played in 90 games over three years at UK, averaging 2.7 points a game. He left UK with one year of eligibility remaining, saying he wanted to spend more time with his wife and family. He played one year for Tubby Smith and two for Billy Gillispie.

Porter is scheduled to return to district court for a preliminary hearing June 4.

Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/2012/05/22/21971...rylink=cpy