Korean Job Discussion Forums

[bacasper]

I posted this on the unjust laws thread, but it deserves on of its own.Never mind traveling internationally. This guy was staying within the states!

30 years minimum? For a victim who didn't even exist? Why are cops creating crimes like this? The world is so crime-free they do it out of boredom? He'd have gotten less time if he committed a real rape.

Yet another boogeyman thought crime!

Why weren't the officers busted for showing sexually explicit photos to the imaginary 11-year-old?

30-to-life for traveling to have sex with imaginary victim

PENSACOLA, FLORIDA - A federal jury yesterday found Douglas E. Leightey (59) of Carey, Ohio, guilty of traveling to Pensacola, Florida to engage in a sexual act with a minor, announced United States Attorney Pamela C. Marsh, Northern District of Florida.

Evidence presented at the two-day jury trial in Pensacola established that between December 3, 2009 and April 22, 2010, Leightey engaged in internet chats with undercover officers posing as the parents of an 11-year-old girl. Over the course of more than 26 chats, Leightey made plans with the undercover officers to travel to Pensacola for the purpose of having sex with the fictitious 11-year-old. As part of his efforts to induce the �child� to have sex with him, on April 12, 2010, Leightey sent the undercover agents images of himself engaged in sexually explicit conduct, with the understanding that these would be shown to the �child.� On April 22, 2010, Leightey traveled to Pensacola, where he met the undercover agents at a local restaurant. On his arrival, Leightey told the agents that he was worried he might be walking into an episode of �To Catch A Predator,� and expressed relief that this was not the case. The agents identified themselves as law enforcement and placed Leightey under arrest.

In addition to the travel charges, Leightey was also convicted of use of a computer to entice a minor to engage in sexual activity, and attempt to transfer obscene material to a minor.

The defendant faces a minimum sentence of 30 years up to a maximum of life in prison in addition to statutory fines and the possibility of a lifetime period of supervised release following the completion of any prison sentence. Sentencing is set October 12, 2010, before Senior United States District Judge Lacey Collier.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lorena Vollrath-Bueno and Tiffany Eggers. It was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Pensacola Police Department, and the North Florida Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

This case was a brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys� offices and the Criminal Division�s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.

For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

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The reason the "epidemic" is growing is because of this boondoggle to all these agencies to create these crimes. It took THREE agencies to invent this fiction. I guess that is why the sentence had to be so harsh. They had a lot invested in it. This has got to be one of the WORST uses of my taxes. Outfuckingrageous.

[Captain Corea]

I don't have a problem with this. As long as they didn't entrap Leightey - as in, he did it of his own volition - then I'm fine with this catch.

As for there not actually being an 11 year old, I'd liken it to a sting selling drugs or bombs. Just because the drugs or bombs may be fake, it doesn't lesson the intent of the crime.

[djsmnc]

Yeah, the dude is a pedo and had it been a real child, he would have done something. I say just vaporize him

[jvalmer]

He had intent, but didn't commit the actual crime. I think 30 years is steep for someone who actually didn't commit a crime. Something like 3-5 would make more sense.

Is there a category for attempted indecent acts with a minor?

[djsmnc]

[itaewonguy]

minority report...

he had intent! BUT.. that doesn't mean he might not have gone through with it.. a crime wasn't really committed.. he might have got second thoughts. how to know..

[bacasper]

[Louis VI]

Put FEAR into the hearts of those contemplating sexually exploiting little kids. The deterrent value is important. That aside, he should serve 2 years in jail and another 8 minimum on probation with an anklet tracker. Keep the children safe from sexual predators. Period. If it was ever my child, there would be an immediate summary execution.

[beck's]

It's thought crime, pure and simple. The eleven year girl did not exist. Should it be a crime to plan illegal sex with a person who doesn't exist? Would it be a crime to plan a bank robbery at a non-existent bank? Of course not.

Here is another case, although not so blatently absurd, in the area where I live. A high school girl set out to entrap her former junior high school teacher who she had a crush on in junior high. She went to him for "emotional" support and counselling and then, as part of her plan, began to send him suggestive sexual text messages. The moment he replied in kind he was busted, lost his career and now faces charges as a child predator. The girl was sixteen or seventeen. No doubt this teacher made a serious error in judgement and should be disciplined. But is he a child predator? No way.

[Louis VI]

[beck's]

He didn't have sex with the non-existent girl. If I plan to rob a bank and walk down the street to the branch, which doesn't exist, stand outside the non-existant bank, but do not rob the bank, which doesn't exist, should I be charged? Definately not. Same should go for the case in question.

[bacasper]

[jrwhite82]

[beck's]

I agree, the teacher entrapped by the seventeen year old girl is a moron. No way he should have given his cell phone number to a high school girl.

I do think that the girl is culpable too. She purposefully set him up. She set up a honey pot situation to get him and she succeeded.

There is a trend here involving the sexualization of young girls by the media and by the fashion industry. Miley Cyrus is a case in point of an under aged girl modeling sexual behavior. Sure, she has body guards to keep the predators off but the average girl next door does not. Through the actions of girls like Cyrus underaged girls are seen as available.

[Leon]

The article makes it sound like the guy was trying to solicit the services of a child prostitute. Why else would he talk to adults about it, the agents, beforehand? That makes it even worse in my view.