Wacky Internet Predator Wednesday 57
Another round-up of dirtbags preying on kids online… and what a fruitful week it was – for Kentucky!
The point, again, of this weekly series is to remind you that these guys do exist. Every time someone tells you the fears are overblown, ignore them. These guys do exist and they are trying to meet and have relationships with kids just like yours… it’s not fear mongering – it’s reality.
And that’s why it’s imperative to know what your kids are doing online and who they are talking to.
- In Florida, a 45-year-old man was sentenced to 12 years in prison for preying on teenage girls on the Internet. He was a former IT guy with the Department of Veteran Affairs and he had amassed 16 tips/complaints about him in a 4-month period at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. He was persistent to say the least, and now he is in jail!
- In Kentucky, Operation Bulldog II netted 14 Internet Predators!! They range in age and profession, one was in training to be a bus driver, another is an Army Reserve 2nd Lieutenant. The oldest man is 40 and a professional wrestling referee. All were busted trying to solicit sex from minors.
- Last, Pennsylvania AG Corbett is at it again. Recently, they arrested 3 men from the area for using the internet to solicit minors for sex. The men busted are a 34-year-old volleyball coach from who allegedly sent nude photos to what he thought was a 13-year old girl; a 43-year-old man accused of traveling to York to have sex with what he believed was a 14-year old girl; and a 53-year-old man charged with sending sexually explicit webcam videos to what he believed was a 13-year old girl.
But the “experts” want you to believe this is all made up and these guys aren’t really out there trying to do what they were actually arrested for…
August 19, 2009
Veteran Affairs employee who preyed on teenage girls on MySpace sentenced to 12 years in prison
South Florida Sun SentinelLAKE WORTH – A former information technology specialist with the Department of Veteran Affairs who preyed on teenage girls over the Internet on MySpace has been sentenced to 12 years in prison, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
John Gerard Krantz, 45, of Lake Worth, was sentenced Friday. His prison term will be followed by a decade of supervised release on charges of using the Internet to attempt to entice a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity.
He pleaded guilty in May. Authorities began investigating him after receiving a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Within a four-month period, 16 tips came in complaining that Krantz was creating MySpace profiles to reach out to underage girls and send them sexually explicit e-mails and pictures of himself.
An undercover detective then posed as a 14-year-old girl and Krantz contacted her. He wanted to engage in cybersex with the girl and he sent the undercover detective sexual webcam videos of himself.
He also warned the “girl” not to tell anyone and to delete their series of communications from her computer. He even offered to buy her a webcam so she could send him images of herself too.
After Krantz was arrested, a search of his home revealed he also possessed child pornography. The FBI, Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office and Veterans Affairs were all involved in the investigation.
August 19, 2009
14 Arrested In Internet Sex Sting
Operation Bulldog 2 Nets Potential School Bus Driver, Army Reservist
By Steve Burgin, WLKYLOUISVILLE, Ky. — Metro detectives joined forces with Kentucky State Police in a sting operation aimed at Internet predators.
Investigators said one of the men busted was training to be a Jefferson County School Bus driver.
Police called the sting Operation Bulldog 2 because they conducted a similar investigation this spring.
The latest sting operation resulted in 14 arrests.
“This operation is an example of crime prevention at its best,” said LMPD Maj. Joe Richardson.
The suspects were arrested during stings over the past two weeks at varying locations. Four detectives posed as teenage girls on internet social networking Web sites to set up the meetings. Some men set up meetings within minutes, others took longer.
“Some guys are slow groomers. They will feel you out and escalate the conversation. Some take a couple of months. Some from the last operation,” said Louisville Metro Police Det. Mike Arterburn.
Most of the suspects are from the metro area, but they also came from other Kentucky towns, including Edgewood, Tyler, Raywick, Versailles and Georgetown.
Investigators said one of the men, 38-year-old Jeffery Cox, from Mt. Washington, was in orientation to be a Jefferson County school bus driver.
Issac Liljequist, 25, is an Army Reserve 2nd lieutenant James A. Marcum, 40, worked as a pro-wrestling referee. Marcum was the oldest person caught up in the Internet sting.
“I want to say to all the internet predators watching and listening; think twice about with whom you are chatting with online. It may be the police,” said Richardson.
Jefferson County Public Schools spokeswoman Lauren Roberts said Cox was never on the job and had no contact with kids.
None of the men arrested in Operation Bulldog 2 had any prior sex charges against them.
IF YOU ARE FROM SOUTHERN INDIANA, Read this story too: Southern Indiana men caught in Internet sex sting
August 20th, 2009
AG Announce Child Predator ArrestsHARRISBURG — Attorney General Tom Corbett announced that agents from the Attorney General’s Child Predator Unit have made three recent arrests, including a volleyball coach from Montgomery County who allegedly sent nude photos to what he thought was a 13-year old girl; a Franklin County man accused of traveling to York to have sex with what he believed was a 14-year old girl; and a Lebanon County man charged with sending sexually explicit webcam videos to what he believed was a 13-year old girl.
Corbett identified the defendants as:
- H. Michael Villarose II, 34, Plymouth Meeting, Montgomery County.
- Howard Douglas Davis, 54, Lebanon.
- Chad Randall Keefer, 43, Greencastle, Franklin County.
Corbett said that all three suspects are accused of using Internet chat rooms and instant message services to approach and sexually proposition what they believed were young girls. In reality, they were communicating with undercover agents from the Child Predator Unit who were using the online profiles of children.
“Summer vacation season is about to end for children all across Pennsylvania, but Internet predators are continuing their search for potential victims,” Corbett said. “I urge every family to make Internet safety part of their back-to-school preparations.”
Corbett said that so far in 2009 agents from the Child Predator Unit have made 57 arrests, including predators from as far away as Texas and Florida – a nearly 50% increase compared to the same time period last year.
“It is extremely important for parents to understand that online predators are a serious threat in every Pennsylvania community,” Corbett said. “They use online chat rooms, social networking sites, instant messages, digital cameras, webcams and other technology to reach into your homes and send sexually graphic material to your kids, encourage young people to send nude photos of themselves or attempt to arrange meetings for sex. In every case, they are trying to take advantage of children for their own sexual pleasure.”
Since its creation in January 2005, the Child Predator Unit has made 234 arrests. To date, the unit has a 100% conviction rate.
H. Michael Villarose II
Corbett said that Villarose, using the screen name “coachv1975” and identifying himself as a high school volleyball coach, approached an undercover agent in an Internet chat room – allegedly sending her a nude photograph and asking if she would perform oral sex.According to the criminal complaint, Villarose later approached another agent from the Child Predator Unit, sending a series of nude and semi-nude photographs to what he believed was a 13-year old girl, commenting, “u won’t tell, right,” and asking her to engage in sexual activity.
Corbett said that Villarose allegedly offered to get the girl a camera phone so that she could send him pictures of herself, telling her, “come stay with me… I’ll get you one.” After offering to get a camera phone for the girl, Villarose allegedly added, “you’d have to earn it, though,” explaining that she would have to perform various sex acts.
Villarose was arrested on Aug. 13 by agents from the Child Predator Unit, assisted by officers from the Plymouth Township Police Department.
Villarose is charged with three counts of unlawful contact with a minor (related to obscene and sexual materials), along with one count of criminal use of a computer, all third-degree felonies which are each punishable by up to seven years in prison and $15,000 fines.
Villarose was preliminarily arraigned on August 13th before Conshohocken Magisterial District Judge Francis Bernhard who set bail at $75,000 cash. Additionally, Villarose is prohibited from coaching, may not use the Internet and has been ordered to have no unsupervised contact with minors.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Sept. 18 at 8 a.m., before Magisterial District Judge Bernhard.
Villarose will be prosecuted in Montgomery County by Deputy Attorney General Michael A. Sprow of the Attorney General’s Child Predator Unit.
Howard Douglas Davis
Corbett said that Davis, who identified himself online as an “OLDer male,” approached an undercover agent in an online chat room, asking about her sexual experience and her attitude toward older men. During their initial chat, Davis allegedly told the girl that he dreams of having “a longterm love and sex relationship with a special young girl.”According to the criminal complaint, Davis encouraged the girl to masturbate and asked the girl if there was a “safe” time to call her house. He allegedly claimed to have discussed love and sex with “hundreds of girls…from 6 to 21,” and commented that they could live together until the girl was old enough to legally marry.
Corbett said that Davis allegedly sent the girl nude photos and webcam videos of himself and urged her to send similar items in return. He is also accused of sending the girl a webcam, wrapped in a pair of underwear.
Davis was arrested on Aug. 14 by agents from the Child Predator Unit, assisted by officers from the Lebanon Police Department.
Davis is charged with five counts of unlawful contact with a minor (related to obscene and sexual materials), along with one count of criminal use of a computer, all third-degree felonies which are each punishable by up to seven years in prison and $15,000 fines.
Davis was preliminarily arraigned on Aug. 14 before Lebanon Magisterial District Judge Maria M. Dissinger and lodged in the Lebanon County jail in lieu of $75,000 straight bail. Davis is also prohibited from using the Internet and may not have any unsupervised contact with minors.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for August 24th at 9:30 a.m. before Magisterial District Judge Dissinger.
Davis will be prosecuted in Lebanon County by Deputy Attorney General Michael A. Sprow of the Attorney General’s Child Predator Unit.
Chad Randall Keefer
Corbett said that Keefer allegedly used an Internet chat room to approach an undercover agent who was using the online profile of a 13-year old girl from York, PA. Keefer allegedly asked if she would be interested in meeting so they could “play” – explaining that he was interested in touching and feeling her, along with “whatever else” she would allow.According to the criminal complaint, Keefer proposed meeting the girl near her home and taking her to a nearby hotel where they could drink wine coolers before exploring sexual activity. Keefer also allegedly encouraged the girl to masturbate during their online conversation.
Keefer was arrested on Aug. 18 when he arrived at a predetermined meeting location near York. He was taken into custody by agents from the Child Predator, assisted by officers from the York Area Regional Police Department.
Following the arrest, agents executed a search warrant on Keefer’s vehicle, seizing a digital camera and cell phone, along with wine coolers and grain alcohol.
Keefer is charged with one count of unlawful contact with a minor (related to statutory sexual assault), a second -degree felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $25,000 fine, along with one count of unlawful contact with a minor (related to child pornography) and one count of criminal use of a computer, both third-degree felonies which are each punishable by up to seven years in prison and $15,000 fines.
Keefer was preliminarily arraigned before Dallastown Magisterial District Judge Joann Teyral and lodged in the York County prison in lieu of $150,000 straight bail. Keefer is also prohibited from using any computer and may not have contact with any minors other than his own children. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for September 18th.
Keefer will be prosecuted in York County by Deputy Attorney General Michael A. Sprow of the Attorney General’s Child Predator Unit.
Corbett thanked the Plymouth Township Police Department, Lebanon Police Department and York Area Regional Police Department for their cooperation and assistance.
Internet Safety
Corbett said the best defense against Internet predators is for parents to regularly discuss online safety with their children, to actively monitor their online activity and to encourage kids to immediately report any situation where strangers make sexual propositions.He encouraged parents to regularly discuss online safety with their children and monitor how their children use the Internet, including:
- What websites they use.
- What social networking sites they may frequent (MySpace, Facebook, etc).
- The importance of not sharing personal information with strangers (names, ages, addresses, schools or other identifying information).
- Avoiding strangers who approach them online.
- Reporting any contact with individuals who engage in sexual discussions or attempt to send graphic photos or videos.
Corbett said that suspected Internet predators can be reported to the Attorney General’s Child Predator Unit by using the “Report a Predator” link, located on the front page of the Attorney General’s Web site or by calling the Attorney General’s Child Predator Hotline, at 1-800-385-1044.
Additionally, Corbett said that safety tips and other information are available in the “Operation Safe Surf” and “Just for Kids” sections of the Attorney General’s website. Also, organizations interested in materials, speakers or presentations, may contact the Attorney General’s Education and Outreach Office at 1-800-525-7642 or via email at education@attorneygeneral.gov.