MI- Monterey man nabbed in sex sting

10-30-2008 Michigan: (Phase-I)

MONTEREY — __________, of Monterey, was among 21 men who were arrested during an Internet child sexual predator sting at a Grand Rapids Township home in Michigan last week, each accused of trying to meet with a teen for sex.

____, a disabled Gulf War vet who is currently enrolled as a student at Ancilla College and lives in Monterey with his wife ____, actually asked his Internet chat companion, carriebear_94, if she was involved with the police.

“u not going 2 have police or anything like that there r u,” he wrote.

The decoy pretended to be shocked and outraged by _____’ suggestion.

“well with undercover cops online and such have 2 b caucious. Do u blame me,” he wrote.

The material above is quoted verbatim.

____ admitted to carriebear_94 that he was married. He wrote that he would tell his wife he needed to be alone and then he would head to meet her. Immediately after entering the Grand Rapids home, _____ was surrounded by police and arrested.

According to reports, most of those apprehended in the sting have no criminal records. However, a couple of suspects did have drunk driving and domestic violence offenses on record.

While most had no criminal records at all, some were in positions where they have regular contact with or near children.

_____, 20, was hired at Cedar Springs High School in August as the junior varsity soccer coach; _______, 30, of Hazel Park said he is a referee for USA Hockey, where he officiates at both adult and youth events; ______, 45, of Wyoming, delivers cookie dough to food service departments at schools.

The 21 accused were all arraigned Monday, Oct. 20 in the 63rd District Court on charges of using a computer to commit a crime, and child sexually abusive activity.

Each was ordered to be held in Kent County jail on $50,000 bonds. Judge Sara Smolenski denied requests for lower bonds, citing public safety as her reason for denial.

The teen used in the sting was a made-up username of a 14-year-old boy and/or girl.

-Is this an error? "The teen used in the sting ..."

However, the officers waiting inside the Grand Rapids home for the arrival of each predator were very real.

The sting was a collaborative effort between the state attorney general’s office, a national organization called Perverted Justice and the Kent County Sheriff’s Department. Would-be predators were engaged in Internet chat sessions with undercover agents who were posing as teens for about two months. Undercover agents eventually agreed to meet at the suspects’ request.

According to attorney general lawyers, the suspects were always the ones who initiated talks about sex and a possible rendezvous.

During a press conference that was held Monday, Oct. 20, at the Kent County Sheriff’s Department, Attorney General Mike Cox said the suspects don’t believe they will be caught even though there were some who had actually admitted to watching shows like “To Catch a Predator.”

“They think there are so many children out there that the odds there is going to be a police officer on the other end of the Internet is low,” he said.

Probable cause hearings have been scheduled for Monday, Nov. 3 for all of the suspects.

Those arrested range in age from 20 to 65 years, and each faces from two to 20 years in prison if convicted. ..News Source.. by CHERYL PATRICK LEADER STAFF WRITER