Deseret News | Reader comments: Messages on teen's cell trigger sex sting

Reader comments
Messages on teen's cell trigger sex sting

Scary | 3:13 p.m. Oct. 14, 2007

I hope they change her phone number now! Technology allows us to have communication quickly with each other, which most of the time is a good thing. But sometimes something like this happens to remind us that not everyone on the other end of the phone or email is trustworthy. Applause for the mother who cared enough to check her daughter's phone, and also to the daughter who trusted her mother. Good parent/child relationships can do much to help our kids avoid serious problems.

Steve | 6:24 p.m. Oct. 14, 2007

I'm glad this worked out in favor of the girl, and we can get one step closer to getting creeps like this off the street. The lesson taught according to the story is to check the messages of your child. That is a good thing. However, I think it should go further. I see no reason why a person under driving age should have their own cell phones anyway. I have 2 kid at that age and refuse to allow them to have their own phones. Why do they need them? Why are our kids too far out of our site? The lesson should be, keep your kids closer. They don't need cell phones and they don't need to be so far away that they have to call in to let you know where they are. We should know this anyway.

Can you say Illegal Alien | 10:48 p.m. Oct. 14, 2007

Can you say Illegal Alien.

Deport these people now!

Comments continue below

no name | 7:57 a.m. Oct. 15, 2007

can you say...I didn't read anywhere in the article that stated this man was an illegal alien

BH | 9:17 a.m. Oct. 15, 2007

Sure am glad to hear this one turned out well. Great job, Mom.

Can you say...:
Wow, talk about racial discrimination! Unless you know that this dude is an illegal immigrant, then your comment reeks of discrimination.

And just who are "these people" that we are to deport? All those people you do not like living next door to you?

utahkeith | 9:24 a.m. Oct. 15, 2007

dear Mr. "Can you say Illegal Alien" how judgemental of you, you don't have a CLUE if he is illeagle or not!

The fact is the guy was caught RED HANDED in a sting, it wasn't as if he was using "pornography" to satisfy his urges (which is wrong because then more child porn is made exploiting children). He wanted to literally have sex with an under-aged girl, he needs to be punished. He was told the girl was 13 and kept it up, THAT IS SAD! then again, how much was the 13 year old "leading him on" before the mother noticed the texting? Not to blame the child, but I am sure she isn't so innocent either in this, or he wouldn't have kept texting correct? HOWEVER, that doesn't take away the fact of Who the Adult was in the incident! I am so tired of this kind of stuff going on. They need to take 150% guilty parties of sex crimes and leave them on a deserted island to exploit each other all they want, and leave the rest of us alone. Note that, 150% sure Guilty people!

Katie | 2:02 p.m. Oct. 15, 2007

Why does a 13-year old need a cell phone in the first place? I have a 14-year old grandson who racked up 4,000 text messages last summer, a lot of them during nighttime. He didn't need a cell phone either. His parents confiscated it when they found out. There may be times when you could loan a child your phone, but I see no reason for him/her to have his own. As in many things that are a blessing, there is usually a down side. Hopefully, our girls are inexperienced at 13 and this girl may have inadvertently lead him on but she probably didn't have any idea about the hazards. Parents should go over their cell phone bills with a fine-toothed comb and investigate any questions. Our children should not be allowed to text message. "Everyone is doing it" is not a good reason to relent.

Anonymous | 2:30 p.m. Oct. 15, 2007

My 11 year old daughter would love a cell phone. She says, what if she needs to call me or there is an emergency? I tell her she shouldn't be anywhere without an adult nearby who could help her in any situation.

I want to know who calls my kids!! There should be no expectation of privacy when you are a kid.

Sneaky Jimmy | 2:44 p.m. Oct. 15, 2007

FYI Pious (and judgemental) people - There are (by conservative estimates) over 600,000 illegal aliens who also happen to have commited violent felonys in our wonderful country. Gee, I wonder why the crime rate is going up?

L.A. guy | 3:35 p.m. Oct. 15, 2007

what a rare coincidence.
accidently misdialed number???????
a girl textin' and havin' acces to a network
is so wrong in all matters.
bad thing in this stuff is the anonimity
nobody really is who they say they are.
a 13 year old so innocent and a guy that is so
guilty. c'mon people. do not believe everything you read or heard. the reality is different. all this media tryn' to sell magazines, newspapers and
parents so irresponsible.
never were a phisical contact and the police were the ones settin' up the encounter.
this is case of showin' something to keep us from seein' the reality of the inoperance of the authorities of keepin' the real bad guys behind bars
wake up!!!!

J | 4:12 p.m. Oct. 15, 2007

YOU GO MOM!!!
kids are to trusted and when sick people try to take advantage of kids there's no reason why mom or dad shouldnt step in. and kids shouldnt hide it. they all know what's wrong and right and when to tell mom or dad. cell phones are to common and there's to many mistakes with numbers for there not to be an incident like this. they're probably happening all the time all over. it's just plain disgusting

DAWGG | 5:58 p.m. Oct. 15, 2007

BUSTED!

What? | 7:08 p.m. Oct. 15, 2007

This young lady should have immediately told her mother she was receiving unwanted messages even before it got to the sex requests.

These perverts are so brazen. They simply don't care about who they hurt as long as they get what they want.

I also agree youth that young don't need a phone.

X Man | 8:20 p.m. Oct. 15, 2007

I do not think technology is bad. Everyone who seems to point a finger and says bad, is missing all the good that can come of technology also. I would think that with text messages that someone could write some software that looks for keywords, and can log a report for parents to monitor. Mayby an email could be sent with all the text messages to an email account, and the parent could browse through them.

But just to say it is bad, I think someone is quick to judge.

Over-mature 11-year old | 9:03 p.m. Oct. 15, 2007

Anonymous? Wake up! Kids need privacy! I'm glad you're not my mom. Give kids a break.

P.S. I agree kids don't need cell phones.

utahkeith | 10:00 p.m. Oct. 15, 2007

LA Guy, I kind of agree with you, this was a set up, BUT... The Guy was going to meet what he thought was a 13 year old girl "Supposedly told" she was 13, and was eager to have a sexual encounter with her. You are right though... In what circumstance did she dial a "Wrong Number", and how long did the texting continue that led him to continually text her to begin with? This "innocent girl" needs to take some of the blame here, But the fact is simple, HE IS AN ADULT, She Is UNDER AGE, it is simple as that. Nothing more to say, he is the "responsible age" and he should have known better.

Anon | 10:44 p.m. Oct. 15, 2007

Just wanted to add that the newspapers will not state whether a person in question is illegal -- they feel that including this information inflames tempters on both sides of the issue. I'm all for legal immigration, but making it a blanket deal opens the doors to all kinds of criminals (perhaps including this guy?). Check the police reports, folks. The majority of the crime in Utah is being committed by Latinos (it would be a safe guess that most are illegal).
On another note, kids don't need to text message. There are cell phones out there that allow the parent to program in a very few pertinent phone numbers (home, mom and dad cell, etc.). Beyond that, kids are just forming bad habits and wasting time -- and opening themselves up to dangerous situations.
Throw the book at child predators, no matter their legal status. I agree with utahkeith, put them all on a deserted island together, and away from our kids.

JWK | 11:21 p.m. Oct. 15, 2007

LA Guy, It doesn't matter if the 13 year old was egging the guy on or not. Even if she did not advertise her age, but most likely did or the guy would not have continued as aggressively as he did, the police certainly did.

Any adult that goes after a child like this one did is a predator.

As far as those who want to put perverts on a deserted island, be prepared for some of your relatives to pack their bags. Every one's family will be affected in some way.

I support probation and treatment unless there was aggressive predatory behavior or if there was any type of sexual contact, oral or otherwise, and then I would like to see some jail time. If any of those that were give a chance to correct their lives offend again, then lock them up and throw away the key.

rose young-stewart | 5:16 p.m. Oct. 16, 2007

He never should have let it go past her misdialing mistake..... he was at fault.

Lee | 1:21 a.m. Oct. 17, 2007

You can't expect the D'news to investigate the immigration status of criminals. That would contradict the pro-illegal immigration editorials they write about once a month.

It's surprising they published a name and photo. There are at least a dozen instances over the past year when they have totally hidden the identity of illegal aliens committing crimes (as reported by other Utah news outlets).

A high profile case like this makes it easier for ICE agents to investigate and place an immigration hold if needed, even legal immigrants could face deportation for a felony like this. Usually, Ogden has a sanctuary policy which forbids police from inquiring about the immigration status of arrested criminals.

Parents need to learn to say NO! | 6:59 a.m. Oct. 17, 2007

A 13 year old with a cell phone?? Please parents!! Wake up!!
30-40 yr old parents are often suckers and don't know how to say NO to their kids. Then they wonder why their kids fail school, are into drugs, and promiscuous.
Blame often is on parents who place NO limits on their kids.

Misdial while texting?? | 7:16 a.m. Oct. 17, 2007

Who does that??
Who actually types the tele number when sending a text??
You have names in your phone and locate one and then send a text.

HMMMMMMMM...........

Qweenmum | 7:36 a.m. Oct. 17, 2007

My 12 yr old got a cell phone for her birthday. She does not have photo capability, and the text message is turned off - not to be turned on. She is limited to whom she can call. 911, Mom, Dad, Grandma, an out of state Aunt and Uncle - in case of emergency to check in, and a handful of neighbors and trusted church leaders. We monitor her phone useage closely. We did this after much thought, and not to spoil our little one. We did it for her safety. She's a beautiful young woman, and too many times, I've noticed older men gawking at her. Not boys, MEN. I've even had to tell some to get lost, when they approach her even with Mom. The cell is for her safety. Not to chat or text with friends. Since she does not have the capability for photos or texting, and she does not abuse the phone privledge, it works for us. It may not work for everyone.

Mike | 8:29 a.m. Oct. 17, 2007

It is silly to say children shouldn't be allowed with mobiles. Adults should not take advantage of a young girl's innocence. Those who do take advantage, or want to, must be caught and punished for misleading teenagers. Maniacs like the man are everywhere, but they always have the choice to do it or not do it. If they do it they will be punished.

Children must be protected, but overprotecting will turn into hate. Good to see the mother and daughter are close.

Sick and Tired | 10:58 a.m. Oct. 17, 2007

"They are children, and they can be manipulated easily".

Agreed. Thats why it should be just as illegal for advertising geared toward children as this is. We are barraged by sad and sick stories about sexual predators, what about the countless advertising predators? We allow them to manipulate our children every day and in every venue without a peep. Your 12 year old girl dresses like a skank? Well, don't let her, and don't let some corporation market skank clothes to her and her 7 year old cousin.

Why is the damage done by a sexual predator more harmful than the health and beauty industry, sugar cereal manufacturers, tobacco... It is far worse in some ways, and if all of these social predators were evenly compared we'd start going after the money people too. Both are soulless entities that only care about their own gain, not about the impact on a little girl or her family.

Anonymous | 11:22 a.m. Oct. 17, 2007

A year ago, my daughter received a pornographic picture of male parts in two text messages. She didn't know who they were from. I was appalled. I called the police and they said there was nothing I could do. If that is the case...how is a parent supposed to protect their children when anyone can send a text to a phone...and there is no responsibility or accountability. I have never been so angry. I asked to have all ability for picture messages be removed from my children's cell phones.

Concerned Parent | 12:57 p.m. Oct. 17, 2007

I am not sure what the capabilities are in terms of limiting the types and/or sending/receiving device addresses by cell phone companies, but I will be looking into that. If kids do have a cell phone (and I think it is perfectly fine if they need one), parents who pay the bill should be able to restrict text and pix messaging to and from the device in question. If the cellular companies don't have that service, laws might need to be enacted to require that capability. There is no reason, with the technology we have today, for kids to get any messages, pix or text, like this.

Not all | 2:01 p.m. Oct. 17, 2007

Don't be so quick to judge based on a person's skin color.
I'm not hispanic, or an illegal immigrant...However I must take issue with the racial overtones of some of these posts.
Not all hispanics are illegal or criminals. Not all illegal immigrants are involved in criminal activity.
I will agree that there are hispanics/illegals that are involved, however the same could be said of caucasians. I have with dealt with many hispanics and in my experience the majority are honest, law abiding citizens, and would never condone this kind of activity. Most paid their bills better than the caucasians that I had as clients. So lay off the race/illegal immigrant thing. It has no basis in fact.

cells bad ? | 4:35 p.m. Oct. 17, 2007

I gave my daughter a cell phone for Christmas two years ago at the age of ten. since then, it has cost me about $600.00 in additional charges for usage overages. that is all I hate about it. She has text messaging and picture capability and the whole nine yards. I love being able to contact her whenever I want either calling or texting her. It is also a great tool that finally works when she is acting up and I take it away or ground her from it. She is a straight A student, not promiscuous and not on drugs. I trust her and she trusts us enough to tell me if something like that happend. It is called parenting. I laugh when I read those that say your kid shouldn't have this or that at that age. If you are a good parent, it wouldn't matter.

Thank.... | 5:01 p.m. Oct. 17, 2007

goodness this predator is off the street...

Not all? | 12:23 a.m. Oct. 18, 2007

Not all hispanics in Utah are Illegal BUT MOST are. Sorry to break it to you. Here's another fact, illegal aliens make up 1 out of every 3 prisoners in the U.S. Before you go out on a limb to defend these criminals..Do your homework!

Anon | 7:45 a.m. Oct. 20, 2007

The previous comment is correct -- most in our prison system are illegal. And yes, there are plenty of caucasions in prison as well, but why should our taxpayer dollars go to house illegal alien prisoners? (The problem is, you deport them and they'll be right back.)
There are lots of good, harworking families from south of the border. Their not entirely "law abiding" or they would have gone through the proper route for citizenship (Iike so many other "legal" citizens from other countries have).
We need a better system! Stop providing "sanctuary" for criminals, and provide a better system to help "good" people get citizenship. That should help reduce the identity theft problem in our country as well (perpetuated and used in great part by the "illegal" population).
A reply to "cells bad?" I'm glad you have money to burn on additional texting charges. That sounds ridiculous to me.

Megzmom | 3:59 p.m. Dec. 5, 2007

My daughter received a picture text of the male body part and I found it and went nuts. However, to her it wasn't as much sexual as it was about being curious. She knew the guy that sent it and I think she encouraged it. We've since had some serious talks about what's acceptable and what's not. And better ways to satisfy her curiosity. I don't think you can blame cell phones or computers or advertisers or anyone but yourself. The more aware you are of what your child is interested in and going through, the more influence you'll have over the content and experience. Being a parent means being aware and involved at all times. And teaching your children right from wrong. That's my two-cents worth anyway.

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