The defense for a 21-year-old Clinton, Iowa man charged in Reno County with electronic solicitation of child wanted a mental evaluation for her client and that was granted Wednesday by Judge Joe McCarville. Clarence Eade be evaluated by Horizon’s Mental Health Center in Hutchinson.

Defense Attorney Kelly Driscoll argued that she believes her client may be suffering from mental illness or defect and that he may not be competent enough to understand the proceedings surrounding the charges against him.

Eade was arrested back in early May on a Reno County warrant and was brought to Hutchinson on the allegation that he made contact with a 15-year-old girl by e-mail and texting with the hopes of convincing the child to have an unlawful sexual relationship with him.

One police were made aware of what was going on, they set it up so that Eade thought he was still texting the girl, but in fact was texting with Hutchinson Police Detective Scott Carlton which led to a warrant being issued for his arrest.

The complaint indicates a date of March 16, of last year, for the contact with the 15-year-old, but Carlton indicated that his contact with Eade occurred during the summer months of last year.

With the mental evaluation ordered, the case is on hold until evaluation is complete.