Did anyone watch Dateline last night, called Predator III?

It was the third time they have set out to expose predators that lurk on the internet. Men who enter chat rooms and stalk children who use Myspace.com. This time they did a sting operation that involved the police which was good to see. They set up decoys posing as a 12yr old girl and 13yr old boy. They had all the logs from the chats that these men engaged the child (or one posing as one) in. In each the decoy told these men exactly how old they were so they knew they were talking with a 12 or 13 yr old. Some of the chats that were read were beyond disgusting (as were pictures some men sent) but due to the sexual content I won't repeat it here.

During the chats it was arranged for the men to meet with the child they believed they were talking too. They were given the address to a house in Riverside California and time/day to show up there, when the kid would be home alone. If you can believe 50 men showed up over the course of 3 days of this operation, during the arranged times. Most came toting items with them ie: alcohol, dvd (believed to be porn), and other sex-related items. Many were in their 40's though ages ranged from 20 something to 65. Though none were truthful about their age while in chat with the kids.

They entered into a patio door that was left open leading into the kitchen, the decoy yelled out from another room I'll be right there just going to brush my teeth, or something like that. A few of the men didn't wait they made an immediate b-line for the direction where they believed the child was (but were stopped). A reporter from dateline entered the kitchen moments after each guy arrived asking them to take a sit at the kitchen island. They then asked them what they were doing there (many had stories ready that had nothing to do with why they were really there or that they were meeting a 12yr old). They revealed contents of the bags some had with them as well as reading some their chat log. Once they said they were from dateline a few bolted, some got up and walked out after a few more questions were asked and a few tried to explain themselves further. A cpl broke down on the spot. Once they walked or ran out the patio door they were greeted by the police, handcuffed and booked and those that came in cars had their cars towed away. Some tried to make a run for it but were quickly tackled. All were charged with intent to molest a chlid among other charges. It was told that all will do jail time and a number will also do prison time as a result. The teacher returned to work two days after being released (his court appearance was pending). When the police contacted the school to make them aware of what happened they not only did not know but immediately suspended him w/o pay and then later fired him.

The most disturbing part (if 50 men over 3 days in one small area isn't disturbing enough) is the different walks of life they came from and the fact that some were convicted felons. One guy just finished doing time for murder, several were convicted sexual offenders, rapists and pedophiles (a cpl were just released from prison after doing yrs for sexual assualts including involving children), one was a high school teacher and one if you can believe worked for homeland security (a police officer), many were married men, including one guy is a songwriter (50ish), sales managers, business owners, you name it. Sadly a lady that was interviewed was only 9 when she and her brothers were molested (assaulted) by one of the men who showed up at the house. To know the man was back on the streets again and was obviously ready to do this to another child, well I can only imagine what she was thinking/feeling. I am outraged that any sex offender is released into the public again. Especially pedophiles and those who are released when it's fully known they are at risk to offend again. This show was a perfect example that its not just a risk but a given when it comes to pedophiles, they will reoffend if they get a chance. There is no rehabilitation IMO, plus it's reported that many refuse treatment anyway.


I hope this program was seen by many millions of parents and children. Far too many ppl have the 'it won't happen to us mentality', that fact was clearly stated on the show. And far too many kids/teens ignore the true dangers that lurk in cyberworld. It was amazing to hear how many use their real names on Myspace and in blogs or chats, how many give the names of the schools they go to or other information that would make it extremely easy for a predator to locate them with. One convicted sex offender took a 2 1/2 hr bus ride then walked 2 miles to get to the house believing he was meeting with a 13yr old boy. He was one who b-lined for the kid the moment he entered the home. Nothing stops an offender once they have a potential victim in sight. Some willingly told how they found the kids on line, the methods they used to locate them and how easy it is to befriend and fool them during chats.

If 50 men over 3 short days were charged from just one small area I can only imagine what is going on in many cities and neighbourhoods across the country, and in other countries around the world. It is frightening and very real. I can't recall if it was found during the last program they did this or if it was information given by the DA but they noted 7 recent cases where kids were sexually assaulted after meeting up with someone they believed was a new friend (their age) that they had met online. Again that's info out of just one area.

If your a minor please please don't ever give out any information about yourself as even the smallest detail can lead a predator to you and NEVER agree to meet anyone that you only know as a name on the internet. Some of these predators use fake pictures of themselves along with their false information, you just never know who the person really is that you are talking too on the end of a computer line. Actually that is something nobody should do, no matter what your age. Adults have been victimized as well. This program is being reaired (sorry forget when) if you haven't seen it check the listings or go to datelines web site to learn more. It's a very important show for parents to watch with their kids/teens, well it's important for eveyone who using the net to watch really.

I do not mean to offend anyone or imply that anyone is not taking care with watching what their children (teens included) are saying/doing online. Just making everyone aware of what this program revealed and simply hoping we are all being as diligent as we can about this, no matter if it frustrates our kids (teens too) to do so.

I have to say seeing this in action (not just a recreation), seeing the faces, hearing their backgrounds really struck home for me, it was and is very haunting. =(

[ February 16, 2006, 12:34 AM: Message edited by: Cat ]

I missed that program, but this is certainly an important topic and I'm glad you posted about it, Cat.

This is a problem that is I more common than most of us like to think. The company that James works for offers a mail forwarding service. Most of the time it is used for legitimate purposes -- people who travel frequently, or for extended periods. However, a few times people who are hiding out from the law have used it to disguise there whereabouts. Last year, James, through this service tracked down three wanted fugitives -- each one a child molester. All three were brought to justice. A victim of one of these men personally called a friend of ours who works for the district attorney to thank him for tracking this guy down.

I encourage all parents to check the sex-offender data base in your area periodically. My particular area is relatively free, but a neighboring subdivision is undoubtedly a Mecca for them. These are things we as parents need to know about in order to keep our kids safe. As Cat said, it is also so very important to know what your child/teen is doing online. I know this is something that a lot of teens would find to be intrusive, but not doing so has much more dire consequences.

No matter how safety conscious and astute one believes their child (or self) to be, it is important to bare in mind that these people are predators. They know the buttons to push and anyone can fall victim if they aren't cautious.

Did anyone see Oprah today? It re-airs at 12:30 am here, and I happened to be flipping channels and caught the opening remarks which stunned, shocked and outraged me. She was talking with a boy who was lured into internet porn when he was just thirteen yrs old.

When you think of the disgusting crimes against children that exist in the world of child porn on the net, you don't think that it happens while the child is in the safety of their own home with family in the next room. Well I sure didn't, and from the information given on the show apparently neither did many who investigate these crimes. It is done with the use of webcams hooked up to the family computer. This boy was an honor student who was/is very computer savy. A friend gave him a webcam to use for the web page he created, and within minutes he was getting instant messages from ppl he had never met before. He was interested, like most kids are, in using the cam to meet and talk with other kids on-line, in particular girls. As we know predators often pose as kids/teenagers on-line so he never thought he was talking to adult men. As they gained his trust by engaging him in conversation and telling him how cool he and handsome he is, they started to offer him money and gifts if he would take off his shirt. Within weeks it moved to taking off more clothing and doing things I don't wish to repeat. And in time it lead to meeting and molesting. They first seduce children and then start to manipulate them. It was as simple as setting up a pay pal account for the money to be given and they used fed-ex to deliver gifts to his home. The parcels would arrive during the day while his Mom was away. There were times when she was there when a parcel arrived but he said he purchased something on the net from the money he was earning form his web site. He had set up a business (before he was lured into the porn) for doing web site designs so she had thought nothing of it. Though over the course of the year his personality started to change and he was spending more and more time in his room and was no longer interested in school. She had software installed on the computer that is suppose to help parents track and monitor what their kids are doing, but as he said most kids know how to get around it.

A reporter who has been working at trying to expose such crimes happened to stumble upon his webpage one day. By this point the boy was 17 (I believe) and so much had happened in his life, it brought me to tears. This reporter from the NY Times knew he had to do something to help this boy. He managed to get him to agree to meet with him and thank God he did as he likely saved his life. The boy had gone to Mexico to be with his biological father when he was 15 or 16, who did something that he should be locked up for life for: he didn't help his son once he learned what had been going on he further exploited him. =( Being computer savy this boy had saved every conversation and transaction that had transpired over the years that he was involved with this webcam porn (which had escalated to acts with others). Using this information the FBI have managed to track down some 1500 of the predators that paid him from the log of transactions he had kept. He also lead the reporter into this secret world on the web and it was discovered that hundreds of children were/are being exploited and paid just like this boy was. Kids from all walks of life, who like this boy were lured in, being paid to do things while at home on their families webcam. He also told of one boy who was even more popular then the boy on the O show was, who has since disappeared. =(

He has not only been stripped off his innocence and childhood, he has been recieving death threats from ppl in the business because he is talking. He has been in hiding for a while now, the Oprah show was the first time he has agreed to talk publicly about it. Apparently he was offered a lot of money to do a book provided he did not appear on the Oprah show. He refused saying the life of children are more important than any amount of money could ever be. What an amazing kid, after all he has been through and despite their being threats on his life, he is helping to expose a crime that is happening right now, one which we should all be outraged about.

These predators are not only trying to reach kids by convincing them to meet them using the net, as we saw in predators III, they have been reaching them in ways not imagined.

I truly believe laws need to be changed and more needs to be done when it comes to protecting our children. It certainly starts in the home, but more to be done to ensure these predators are not released or just given a slap on the wrist once caught. When you look at the sites that show you where a convicted offender lives it's staggering to see the numbers.

[ February 16, 2006, 02:13 AM: Message edited by: Cat ]

Hi guys and gals,
Oh this topic has always been a huge concern for me but in the last month has hit very close to home.
Some of you might remember my Grandaughter Gabby, she used to post with me sometimes a couple years ago? Well, Miss Gabby put all her personal information online at myplace.com. Yep, phone number also. An older man called her home and left a message on the machine that he was setting up "casting calls" for modeling. The number he was calling from was on the caller ID also. Gabby is now 12 years old.
I flipped a wicket and then some. I very graphically told her why an older man would even be calling her. I ended it with, they usually kill the kids so there is no witness. I gave her the straight truth and if you can beleive this or not.........she thinks it has to be legit for some reason I can't even understand.
I called her parents, my son Billy and his ex-wife Michele. They didn't know anything about it. So far all her life Gabby tells me everything and I am sure she isn't thinking I am Cool Grandma much anymore. I don't care, it very well could have saved her life.
Her mother and her Mom's fiance both work in the Cleveland Police Dept. and are going to try to get this guy...........no luck yet though.
Scariest is, her mother and father both turned off their internet access when they found out. Gabby is still getting online, she's accidentally messaged me and definitely got the wrong person. I am terrified that this older man has some kind of hold on her? All her parents can do is make her stay home, but thats not going to work forever.
I am thinking about writing Oprah and asking her if she knows of any intervention for young kids. I am sure there are so many parents overwhelmed with this same situation.
Like I said, there is no internet in either of her homes now but she still is getting on? Library, a computer class maybe? Or another innocent and naive child using her identity? Billy and Michele have also contacted the parents of all her friends they know of to warn them.
I am terrified. I have done all I can do and it just isn't enough! All I know for a fact is these perverts get these children to trust and beleive them even more than their own family.
What in the world do they say to these kids to get them to turn on their own parents, grandparents? A bunch of bull, tell them how talented they are and how beautiful they are and I am sure that we parents "just don't understand".
I will tell you one thing, this older man that called Gabby is local and if I get my hands on him......
I will be on the news next!
Please say a prayer for us and all other children being solicited by these creeps!
Peggy

OMG Peg, I would be terrified and very angry as well. I'm so sorry this has happened. =(

Casting call my butt, a ploy that offenders have used in past, and sadly successfully at times. Thank God she told you about the message and you found out she gave personal info out. It is very scary to think this animal did not hesitate in calling the home of child, knowing full well a parent may be the one to answer or get the message left. I suspect he may even have some bogus photography set-up going on that he can use to fool kids with, and even use as his excuse for calling in the event he is caught and questioned by the police.

On both of the shows they spoke of how these predators are able to gain trust, and how quickly it can be established at times. But they are also patient and will spend weeks and even months working on a child if they feel trust and a relationship is being established. They are extremely manipulating and persuasive after they have turned on the charm to seduce the child, easily recognizing what buttons to push to get the reactions they want. They know full well the puberty and teen years are often difficult for kids, that self-esteem can be low at times and the need for peer acceptance is high. It's common for tweens and teens to butt heads with their parents, and their need for independence means secrets are kept and they can be swayed to break the rules. No matter how open your communication with your kids is, they will not tell you everything and they can at times do things against their better judgement. Experienced that with my boys and lord knows I was that way when I was teen, you think you are invisible and you know far more than your parents do. Predators use every angle, telling kids exactly want they want to hear.

There was a web-site given that parents can go to which provides information on how these predators work, along with tips on what parents can do. I'll see if I still have the predator III show on tape Peg as I know they gave the information. Or you might want to check the dateline web site as I believe they noted it would be on there as well.

I sure hope that msg she sent to you in error does not mean she is still talking to that creature. I agree it could be the library, the school or even a friends place that Gabby has used to get on-line. If you still have that message she sent you, maybe your DIL can have the IP tracked so you'll know what computer she is using?

Does Gabby still have her webpage running? Is there a way to be able to monitor it to see if she is using it or who is sending IM's? Maybe your DIL can bring her to the station and have an officer who works in this area talk to her and show/tell her of real examples? Did you tape predator III or the Oprah show by chance? It would be good to have her watch those. I'm sure Oprah has info about it on her site like dateline does which you can also show her. I agree they won't be able to keep her from going out forever, but until she understands and that creep is located, I'd be doing the same thing. Finding this jerk may also help prove to her that he is not who she thought/thinks he is and whatever it is that he has told her was all lies. Has this happened to any of her other friends and what are her friends and their parents saying? Kids don't often like to believe what we (parent/grandparents) are saying but if her friends are saying the same thing that can help. Perhaps calling the school to make them aware of what has happened may also help? The school counselor may be able to get her to talk about it more, while supporting what you have already said to her in the event she is thinking you and her Mom are just being overprotective or are blowing this out of proportion. Who knows other kids at school or on-line or even this creep may have put thoughts like that in her head? I think all schools should be talking about on-line predators, it should be part computer courses/classes right from the get go and every year there after. Plus just as speakers are brought in to talk about all sorts of other dangers this should be done as well, with real examples given.

I will definitely be keeping all of you in my thoughts and prayers. With all of you knowing what is going on Gabby will be safe I do believe that, and she will come to understand your telling the truth. They will get this creep. Please keep us posted.

(((Hugs))), Cat

Hi !

Well, not alot on who called her but.......
Last night Primetime/20/20 ( I can remember?) had it on again but had the myspace more the topic and how predators use them. I called Gabby and made her stay on the phone and watch it with me. And its the best decision I made. They showed a police officer go undercover on this website and act like he was a kid also. He got three young girls to become "chat friends" and managed to get enough information on them to use in finding them. Even one discussion where he was told two of them were going to a certain fast food joint. They were shocked when they met him. A grown man, a police officer was who they had been chatting with. ????
Its scary, they said that 17 kids had been assualted in several ways in this "small town u.s.a." city the previous year dealing with computers/predators. The HS thought that they had this covered with the kids.....they didn't.
It was a great segment. They had a class with parents to help them in keeping their kids safe. The reporter also said that the new owner of myspace is thinking of (thinking) duh?) of putting parental controls on its site and schooling the parents by cd or classes on how to use the tools.
Gabby is not allowed to use the computer anymore. Not that she won't find one somewhere. She told me when she does need to use the computer her daddy (my son Billy) disconnects the internet and takes the cable!
But coming from a young girl.......Gabby said the show scared her. If thats what we need to keep doing so be it! She said seeing that policman pass himself off as a young teen? It got her. She said those girls were lucky he was a cop.
I think that every city in this country should do this to show the kids how easy it is to fool someone on here and how dangerous it can be to meet someone you don't even know.
I have called our police, my Senator and Congressman. I won't quit calling or writing until something is done to protect the kids online. I tell them I used to think how cool it was that my grandkids would be able to pen pal with kids across the world, I never had that as a kid? I don't think anyone knew how big of a danger this would turn into.
Ok, I will stop rambling for now. Now I have to check the tv guide to see who did the show? I am getting old here! LOL I want to write them and thank them and ask them to keep on this subject for the kids sake!
hugs,
Peg