A 22-year-old Cody man is facing the potential of a multi-decade prison sentence for allegedly having sex with a 12-year-old girl.

Park County prosecutors have charged John M. Creech with two felony counts of sexual abuse of a minor in the first degree. Cody police arrested Creech on Oct. 20 and he’s remained in jail since then, with bail set at $35,000 cash or surety.

Because Creech is over the age of 21 and the alleged victim is under the age of 13, a conviction on either count would carry a minimum sentence of 25 years in prison.

Charging documents say one of Creech’s acquaintances reported the allegations to police on Oct. 20. Creech spoke with Cody Police Detective Tyler Eubanks later that day and, according to the officer’s account of the conversation, Creech admitted to having sex with the girl.

Charging documents say Creech initially connected with the child via the adult match-making app Tinder, where the girl had listed her age as 18. When Creech met her in person last month, he thought she could be that old, “but in the back of my head, I thought maybe not,” Creech is quoted as telling police.

He reportedly said the girl disclosed her true age of 12 after they had sex. Despite that, charging documents allege Creech admitted to having sex with her again a few days later.

Creech’s communications with the girl had apparently been deleted from his phone, but Eubanks noted its lock screen featured a picture of a shirtless Creech embracing the girl.

Park County Circuit Court Judge Joey Darrah initially set Creech’s bond at $100,000 cash, before lowering it to $35,000 cash or surety on Nov. 2. Creech has been unable to make bail, as he remained in jail on Wednesday.

If he does post bond, Creech must wear a GPS ankle monitor, check in at the Cody Law Enforcement Center twice a day, have no contact with the alleged victim and have no online contact with anyone under the age of 18.

Additionally, the judge ordered Creech to have no contact with Randon T. Gresham — a 22-year-old former Powell resident who’s alleged to have sexual contact with a different 12-year-old girl in Cody last month. Because Gresham’s case involves a sex crime and hasn’t reached the district court level, the judge’s order only identified the defendant by his initials.

While the cases involve different alleged victims, charging documents suggest Gresham had communicated with the girl Creech is alleged to have abused, and he apparently referenced the same Tinder profile.

Gresham is currently awaiting a preliminary hearing, where Darrah will decide if there’s enough evidence for his charge of first-degree sexual abuse of a minor to move to district court. He is free on a $50,000 surety bond.

Creech, meanwhile, waived his right to a preliminary hearing on Nov. 2 and is now awaiting an arraignment in district court, where he’ll formally enter a plea to his two charges.