Greetings to all:
I’ve been asked this question multiple times and after reviewing various segments I think I can now address this question. Is this show a trap for people or is it a legal and fair way for law enforcement to incarcerate potential criminals?
Well, let’s look at both sides. First, the side that claims to arrest them!
People who feel this way say that the suspect is fully aware in advance that he or she is visiting or speaking online with a minor, a clear violation of the law. In addition, they say that if the ‘montage’ had not been carried out, this suspect would have raped a child. My opinion … they have a good point, especially legally speaking.
The other side says that he did not actually carry out the crime. Sure they say, he could have known he was a minor and some will even say that he could have done the act without this intervention, but the act was not REALLY carried out. Or in other words, the crime was not committed. My opinion … they also have a good point.
This is how it is from a law enforcement standard:
You REALLY broke the law when you entered the residence. First, probable cause (see my other articles on this topic) for arresting him was relevant when he knowingly spoke to a minor about sex. This is the point that hurts. It is not that you ‘chat’ with a minor that hurts, it is the sexually spoken content with a minor. If there were no sexual discussions, there is no intention to commit a crime, at least there is no clear intention to commit a sexual crime. So my answer is that the arrest is valid according to the law.
Having said that, here is my problem. It is the arrest of the FEW who came to the house, parked for a few minutes and then left. Can’t a person have an original intention but change his mind? Is it really necessary to arrest him? In other words, can we have a chance to repent? I’m not talking about those who, while driving to the residence, observe an officer arresting a subject and then leaving. Or a subject who feels that something is wrong and feels that he could be deceived. I mean true regret. How many of you have thought about committing a crime but did not carry it out out of repentance, fear of jail, or for any reason?
Yes, those who entered the residences broke the law. But I am willing to keep an open mind about those who are caught up in the repentance process. We are not all saints. A sin is a sin. There are no big ones. But according to the law, this is not entirely true. The law differentiates crimes. This is precisely why a murder charge will always be considered much more seriously than a manslaughter charge, even though both involve the death of a person.
The best policy? Avoid talking sexually on the Internet with ANYONE. You don’t know who you’re talking to anyway!
Robert Davis, author of COP OUT
