FONTANA, Calif. - A group of boys who posed as a 15-year-old girl for an Internet prank ended up helping police arrest a 48-year-old man who tried to meet the fictitious teenager for sex, authorities said.
The five boys had created a fake profile of a girl on MySpace.com — a social networking Web site — to cheer up a friend who had recently broken up with his girlfriend.
But soon, a man began sending messages to the “girl” and their conversations began to have sexual overtones, said Fontana police Sgt. William Megenney.
The man also sent the “girl” his picture and arranged to meet her at a public park. The boys went to the park and, when the man arrived, they called police.
Michael Ramos, 48, of Fontana, was booked into West Valley Detention Center on Monday for investigation of felony attempted lewd and lascivious conduct with a child and for an outstanding warrant, Megenney said.
He was being held at the West Valley Detention Center on $105,000 bail, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Web site.
A dispatcher who answered the telephone at the center early Tuesday said the facility does not allow phone interviews with inmates. It was not immediately known whether Ramos had a lawyer.
Two men were arrested last week in what prosecutors said were the first federal sexual assault charges involving MySpace. The unrelated cases involved Connecticut girls who were 11 and 14, the FBI said.
those little guys sure looked traumatized to me. oh, and their friend got dumped. surely there's a victim somewhere.
but your question does pose an interesting debate. this guy appeared to meet up with the girl with the intent to commit an illegal act. so do you just let him go with a "shame on you" slap on the wrist cuz afterall that whole no victims train of thought implies "no harm no foul." if that were the case though what's stopping this guy from trying it again?
It follows the same argument as attempted murder, or intent to do harm, conspiring to commit some act of treason, etc.
The main purpose of the law isn't to punish pedos; it's to protect children. If they wait until he claims a victim, then the law has failed, hasn't it?
Speaking in terms of under law of course, morally that's a deeper question. Additionally, meeting in a very open public place (a park) will surely work heavily in his favour as defendant.
Since I think sending the guy down would accomplish nothing except for ruining his life even more severely than it must already be. I would be in favour of forcing him into getting serious mental help. However in terms of law the boundaries between these two vastly different outcomes aren't dictated so clearly at the higher level.
Mens rea is the intent to commit a crime, which would include meeting a minor for the purpose of a sexual liaison. Didn't you see that huge Fox special where they lured pedos into a house to be caught on camera by the host? They were all arrested on their way out of the building, even though there was no actual child inside.
If the guy gave any indication in his conversations with the "girl" that he wanted to initiate a physical relationship of any sort, there is a good chance he will be convicted. And if he had never said anything dirty, the boys wouldn't have had anything to report / the police wouldn't have gotten involved.
